Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu
Leader of UnitedFuture

27 September 2012

Dunne: Principle-free Labour protects its union buddies

Labour’s call to have trade unions exempted from a potential lobbying register is shameless protection of its union backers, UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne said today.

“This is sleazy politics trying to find a principle to hide behind,” Mr Dunne said.

“For this lobbying regime to have any credibility it would have to apply equally to all, and that includes business groups and trade unions. They are two sides of the one coin.

Mr Dunne said Green MP Holly Walker acknowledged that her Lobbying Disclosure Bill needed to be fine-tuned and adjusted, but it was founded on having a transparent system, which the public would welcome.

“Unions try to shape and influence policy and legislation day in and day out, as do business groups and others. Let one rule of transparency apply to them all.

“Labour’s whole ‘business is bad and needs to be watched, but unions are forces for good’ approach is simply pathetic, and this is a shameless example of Labour looking after its buddies.

“This is just another demonstration of how Labour is in the pocket of sector interest groups, and why New Zealanders don’t see them as a viable alternative government.

“When will Labour get back to championing the causes and the issues of everyday New Zealanders?”

ENDS

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