Hide on Tamihere

Monday 4 Apr 2005 Rodney Hide Press Releases -- Other

ACT Leader Rodney Hide has written to Prime Minister Helen Clark, United Future Leader Peter Dunne and Progressive Party Leader Jim Anderton.

"I wrote to the Prime Minister first of all to thank her for taking down John Tamihere's weblog, in which he last week launched an extraordinary attack on myself and TV3. I suspect the Labour Party had some legal advice and took down Tamihere's entire blog.

"I also went on to ask her about Tamihere's latest outburst against her, her ministerial colleagues and the Labour Party.

"I asked her whether we can take John Tamihere at his word and if the answer is `no', what was it that he said in the interview that is false, rather than just hurtful and ill-advised.

"I have also written to Mr Dunne and Mr Anderton following John Tamihere claiming the following:

`[W]e wouldn't survive without Cullen - he can cut a deal on a piece of legislation, he can change a single word in a piece of legislation without those other b.....ds [coalition partners] knowing about it, and it melts down everything they wanted but they still think they got their clause in. The pressure they bring to bear on individuals... Close to fisticuffs!'

"I put this question to each of them: Is that your understanding of how the agreement between your party and Labour works - or is Tamihere correct and you don't even realise?

"I am looking forward to their responses," Mr Hide said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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