Monday, 14 June 2004
Dunne congratulates Hide; offers helpful advice
United Future leader Peter Dunne today congratulated ACT’s new leader Rodney Hide on his election and said his door was
always open to Mr Hide for advice on how to carry out his job.
“Regrettably, Mr Hide has started poorly by raising the apparent bogy of National leader Don Brash being ‘held hostage’
if he enters in a coalition with myself or Winston Peters,” said Mr Dunne.
“It may be Mr Peters’ style to make non-negotiable demands as the price of his support, but United Future has already
well-demonstrated the ability to be a stable, sensible partner for a major political party, without abandoning its
policies or principles.
“This is in marked contrast to the extremist parties like the Greens, who refused to back Labour in 1992 over the single
issue of genetic modification, but have now abandoned that policy in their increasingly desperate efforts to become
relevant and a part of a Labour-led Government.
“As the new leader of an extremist party rating 1% in the polls, Mr Hide would do well to observe that the New Zealand
voter does not back small parties that make unrealistic demands on the bigger parties.
“Voters, not extremist parties, choose governments. Mr Hide would do well to concentrate on uniting his caucus and
developing policies that appeal to the New Zealand voter, before pronouncing on who should be the Prime Minister of New
Zealand,” said Mr Dunne.
ENDS