Scoop Feedback: John Wright Responds To Huw Jarvis

Monday, 25 February 2002, 6:11 pm
Opinion: Scoop Feedback

- Feedback from John Wright MP in response to Why The Alliance-Left Rebelled…

Alliance: It's About Continuing To Work In Government

The Alliance stands for full employment, free health, free education. We have made a good start in implementing our progressive policies. Who would have thought two years ago that this Government would re-establish up a bank owned by New Zealanders, resume ownership of Air New Zealand and reinvest heavily in rail?

These have all happened, but only because the Alliance is in Government. Because of our insistence we have achieved more money for superannuitants, frozen student loan interest, and introduced paid parental leave.

I am prepared to stand behind these achievements and work for more for the people of New Zealand.

The Alliance was formed eleven years ago to oppose the terrible policies of the New Right and to promote fair alternatives for New Zealand. We opposed vigorously until 1999 and now we are in the business of implementing our alternatives.

Implementation requires a different approach to opposition. The Alliance is successfully working with the Labour party. We propose our policies, they propose their's and a Government programme is hammered out. The Alliance is realistic and knows that voters gave us one-fifth of the support that they gave our senior partner.

Ironically however the biggest barrier to continuing the work of this Government are a small group of back room opportunists who cannot bring themselves to be positive. They instead want to pull down our achievements. The Alliance is suffering from infighting instigated by people who have shown they do not have the temperament for Government, and they should step aside.

Your correspondent "Huw Jarvis" is a case in point. Hiding behind a pseudonym this unaccountable person makes a cowardly attack on the Alliance, of which s/he seems to be a member. His (or her) logic is flawed all through the overlong piece. Just one example - the one percent rating has less to do with not being left wing or successful but more about being attacked from behind by the very people who are supposed to be working with us.

This Labour Alliance coalition government is far different from the Fourth Labour Government of Richard Prebble and Roger Douglas. In suggesting that there isn't any difference, Huw Jarvis proves that she or he is totally off the planet and really has no place in a constructive and progressive Government and should stand aside for people who can make a positive contribution.

ENDS

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