Alliance leader Jim Anderton is scornful of NZ First's statement that it is prepared to go into coalition with anyone.

'After the unhappy experience of the last election, New Zealanders now know that when Winston Peters says he is prepared to go into coalition with anyone, he really means he wants a coalition with National and Act,' Jim Anderton said.

'Mr Peters is re-writing history with his explanation for going with National after the last election. He claims the Alliance refused to give support on confidence and supply to a Labour-NZ First coalition. In fact, the Alliance delivered a statement of support which would have allowed a stable minority government to be formed.

'The real reason Mr Peters went with National and Act was that he was always going to go with National and Act, and in the unlikely event that his party survives this year's election he would do exactly the same again.

'The most ironic political statement of 1999 is Mr Peters' statement that NZ First w!
ould campaign on trust and integrity.

'This is the party that took its final stand on Wellington Airport days after Mr Peters as Treasurer personally oversaw the sale of Auckland Airport.

'Mr Peters promised to visit the Chinese Embassy the day after the 1996 election to take back the forests, and then when he got into office didn't even raise the issue when he met with the Chinese.

'Mr Peters spent years campaigning against foreign ownership of New Zealand and then campaigned in parliament for the Multilateral Agreement on Investment to allow open slather foreign ownership and control of New Zealand.

'And now NZ First is at the head of the queue to sign up to Max Bradford's electricity policies which are putting up power prices for everyone and forcing the entire electricity industry into foreign ownership.

'NZ First is the 'asset-selling, overseas-owned, sell-your-grandmother for power' party and that is why it is headed for political oblivion,' Jim Anderton said.
Visit http://www.alliance.org.nz for more information about the Alliance

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