Wednesday 18 Dec 2002
Richard Prebble
Press Releases -- Governance & Constitution

"The Labour cabinet should not have approved the Qantas takeover of Air New Zealand," said ACT Leader Richard Prebble.

"As a minimum the government should have declined to make a decision until the Commerce Commission had given its ruling.

"The government's decision today has damaged Labour's credibility.

"Frankly no-one believes the government when it claims that it hasn't actively participated in the Qantas deal for the last six months. It's damaging to the whole process of government when no-one believes what Ministers are saying on an important issue.

"I don't believe for one minute that the directors and management of Air New Zealand went ahead with this deal without having had a wink and a nod from Ministers.

"I also believe that the timing of this decision is completely political: put out the bad news in the season of good cheer knowing that it won't receive the scrutiny that the sale of our national airline deserves.

"It may be good politics but it's bad governance," said Mr Prebble.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

© Scoop Media