Greens Dump on Policy Inquiry

ACT New Zealand Transport Spokesman Deborah Coddington is deeply disappointed that the Green Party has ruled out the only hope for a parliamentary select committee inquiry into public-private partnerships this year.

Miss Coddington approached Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons three weeks ago with draft terms of reference for a Transport and Industrial Relations inquiry into public-private partnerships. The Green Party holds the balance of power on that committee - United Future has already caved to pressure from Labour and will not support an inquiry.

"I made it completely clear to Ms Fitzsimons that I did not want any inquiry to become a superficial side show examining Ross Armstrong. My terms of reference were clearly designed to set up a thorough and far-reaching inquiry into public-private partnership policy direction - something the Greens also claim they are concerned with.

"The Green politicians got their secret briefing from the ninth floor of the Beehive and now say all their qualms have been settled. What happened to transparency, honesty and openness? Ms Fitzsimons might be comfortable, but where are the public's answers? I challenge the Greens to release all the notes and information the Prime Minister's office gave them that was so convincing.

"I gave the Green Party three weeks to make their decision. I shaped the terms of reference to fit their concerns as well as those of ACT New Zealand. Ms Fitzsimons dumped on the inquiry and decided to let me know through the media.

"What a lazy, immoral and unprincipled stand. Do these tired politicians understand the first thing about MMP? ACT New Zealand put party differences aside to reach out to the Greens because public-private partnership policy is so important. In turn, the Greens robbed New Zealanders of the chance to examine where our country is heading.

"The Greens are morally bankrupt if they think that they have any right to bitch and moan from the sidelines when Labour's version of public-private partnerships goes horribly wrong. This completely sucks," Miss Coddington said.

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