Monday 18th Oct 1999
Richard Prebble
Media Release -- Other
Spectrum Auction ACT Victory
“The announcement by the Government today that the radio spectrum auction will go ahead without frequencies being set
aside for Maori is a victory for ACT, said ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble today.
“The Government was under no legal obligation to delay the auction of the spectrum. ACT, and ACT alone, has campaigned
for the auction to go ahead and said that the Government should have proceeded with the auction as planned in March.
“ACT is pleased that the Government has taken our advice on this matter and is finally putting its foot down to stop
nonsense claims like the claim over the radio spectrum.
“But this announcement by Communications Minister Maurice Williamson also confirms ACT’s belief that the 15 million
dollars of taxpayer money set aside for Maori Language development is just another election bribe by the National party.
“The bribe has now allowed the Government to go ahead and make more radio spectrum frequencies available for sale. It’s
time the Government stopped paying out bogus claims and encouraging the grievance gravy train.
“The Waitangi Tribunal ruling - that the radio waves were a Maori taonga was outrageous. This was a classic example that
the Treaty is not what it says, but has become a document that can be re-interpreted to mean whatever the lawyers want
it to say, said Hon Richard Prebble.
ENDS
For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at
act@parliament.govt.nz.