Third party that has got things done knocked out of TV3 debate

It is an irony that the foreign-owned broadcaster, TV3, has decided to knock the Progressives out of its pre-election party leaders' debate when the Progressive Party has by far the strongest track record of all Third Parties for getting its policies adopted, Jim Anderton said today.

"I've been told that the foreign-owned TV3 will interfere in our country's democratic process by silencing the voice of the very third party that has actually delivered under the MMP system over the past six years.

"From Four Weeks Paid Annual Leave, to regional development policies that have helped create tens of thousands of jobs, to the scheme to encourage large-scale film production in New Zealand, there is no other Third Party that has had anywhere near as much success getting good things done for people as Progressive," Jim Anderton said.

"It is disappointing to the Progressive Party because, as a constructive coalition partner in government, we have worked hard inside the Labour-Progressive coalition government to get positive things done, rather than create cheap headlines through political conflict.

"The only time we really go out and promote our own distinctive policy programme is in the four to six weeks prior to each General Election.

"The good news is that the television station owned by all New Zealanders, TVNZ, isn't going to arbitrarily interfere in New Zealand's democracy," the Progressive leader said.

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