ACT Caucus Retreat
ACT`s nine MPs together with the Party President and Manager are holding a three-day retreat (29 October to 31 October
2002) in the Hawkes Bay at Wallingford Station, the home of ACT supporter John Ormond.
"ACT received good support in the Hawkes Bay" said Leader Richard Prebble "and the caucus will take the opportunity to
meet with local supporters."
"ACT is looking at a number of strategic issues. Last election ACT held its vote as National's vote crashed.
"ACT is becoming the natural party of business which in New Zealand is small business. The party is looking at ways we
can increase our effectiveness as the spokesman for the nation's 300,000 small businesses.
"ACT is also looking at the issues which the party owns - a low tax, less regulations, pro-ANZUS, and zero tolerance
for crime.
"In addition ACT has been the party with fresh new ideas about education and health. ACT alone opposes the dumbing down
of standards that the NCEA represents. ACT wants higher standards validated by external exams.
"Health spending has gone up over 60% in the last 10 years in real terms yet as the growing strikes in the sector show,
there has to be a better way. The ACT caucus will be examining how we can introduce public/private partnerships into
health as they have in Britain, to ease hospitals' waiting lists," Mr Prebble said.