11 June 2002

Alliance leader Laila Harré has welcomed news that the election will be held on July 27.

She said while the Alliance is ready to rise to the challenge, there is absolutely no call for a snap election.

“The coalition is in good form and we have a work schedule that could stretch well into the latter part of the year.”

Laila Harré said the possibility of a majority Labour government voted in by National voters should worry traditional Labour voters greatly.

She appealed to people on the left to think back to 1987, the last time this scenario played out, and the shift to the right that followed it.

On this basis, the Alliance was ready to run a strong left wing election campaign.

“The Alliance will put social justice first, second and third. We are the only party with a clear focus on overcoming inequality,” she said.

“We have our list selected, our policies are ready for sign off, our billboards are en route to the regions and our national campaign team is at the ready.

“I’m confident we can win Waitakere and Tainui and make the five per cent threshold.

“It’s going to be an intense campaign over a short few weeks, exactly the kind of challenge Alliance activists relish and are more than ready to rise to,” Laila Harré said.

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