National Out Of Touch With Business

Business leaders across the regions of New Zealand support and appreciate the coalition government's active encouragement and practical assistance programmes, Progressive leader, Jim Anderton, said today.

"Have you ever seen an advertisement in a newspaper placed by business leaders saying: We want Bill English to be Prime Minister?

"The reason you haven't is because no such advertisement was ever placed," Jim Anderton told Parliament.

He was speaking in the Imprest Supply and Supplementary Estimates debate in which the Progressive Party outlined why it is proud to be part of a coalition government that gets good things done for New Zealanders.

Jim Anderton said it was incredible that the National and ACT parties never miss an opportunity to denigrate the hard work of Industry New Zealand and the Ministry of Economic Development.

The work of these government agencies is welcomed by most business leaders as a positive contribution in the very competitive business world in which they operate.

A 14 May Dominion Post advertorial supplement in which a specialist company in the manufacturing of fire fighting equipment, was asked how the Coalition Government could specifically assist their industry.

The company's answer: "Continue to fund Industry New Zealand so that they can continue to provide advice and assistance which we have found to be invaluable. Keep Jim Anderton on as Minister of Economic Development".

"The National/ACT bloc should think about that when they vote against the Labour-Progressive coalition's ability to raise the money it needs to invest in our communities.

"Until we see advertisements demanding Bill English be prime minister and Richard Prebble be appointed the next Minister for Rail, then the National and ACT parties should look at themselves in the mirror and reassess the reasons for their failure and rejection by the regions of New Zealand," Jim Anderton said.

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