Prime Minister Helen Clark's whining about Mrs Shipley's visit to the United States is pitiful, says National MP Tony Ryall.

"The Prime Minister has become fixated with who Mrs Shipley meets. With the dollar diving, unemployment rising, and the economy slowing, all the Prime Minister seems to worry about is who might be meeting Jenny Shipley!

"Helen Clark can't accept that Jenny Shipley, as a former Prime Minister, has a strong network of international contacts. Mrs Shipley's acclaimed handling of the APEC conference stands in marked contrast to Helen Clark's disastrous comments about Japanese ministers and Brunei's ability to host a conference! "The only good thing in Ms Clark's comments in today's Dominion is news the Prime Minister will not be attending the All Blacks' test match against France in Paris. We might now have a chance of winning. It seems every sports team Helen Clark visits loses!" said Mr Ryall.

ENDS

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