11 June 2002

“New Zealanders will be short-changed if the Prime Minister announces an early election, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said.

“There is no real reason why this election should be early…except that Ms Clark thinks that she should strike while the polls are up. There is absolutely no sound constitutional reason for the PM to make such a call: the Government has no problem with supply and confidence or with numbers to advance their legislative programme.

“New Zealand First has seen to that by acting responsibly and will continue to do so, Mr. Peters said.

“Much of the media speculation has been fuelled by Labour’s spin doctors as they have manipulated public opinion to the point where some sectors of the community are calling for an election so they can get on with their lives. Business leaders are indicating that the conjecture is affecting business confidence. None of these things are good reasons for an early election. What Ms Clark SHOULD do is end the speculation by saying that that this government will go full term and by announcing an end of year date.

“The country does not need the diversion nor the expense of an early election based on political expediency or the whim of a Prime Minister. Any announcement of an early election will short-change New Zealanders and raises questions about what the Labour leadership know and is not telling us,” Mr. Peters said.

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