History catches up with Peter Dunne

You’ve got to question United Future’s continued opposition to the Air New Zealand deal, when Peter Dunne’s holding the trump card, says National Party leader Bill English.

“In recent days Mr Dunne and his colleagues have unleashed a series of unprovoked attacks on the National Party.

“All we’re guilty of is simply pointing out that United Future has the power to stop the airline sale,” says Mr English.

“The fact remains that United Future could hint at withdrawing its support on confidence and supply, and force the Government to veto any deal.

“Peter Dunne says that’s not the way he operates, but again, it seems ‘Mr Commonsense’has a short memory.

“In December 1998 when the National Party was considering standing a candidate against Mr Dunne in the Ohariu-Belmont electorate he obviously forgot those commonsense values he now claims to live by.

“Newspapers then said that after the resignation of Deborah Morris Mr Dunne’s position had become more significant ‘because legislation can’t now be passed without me’ (The Dominion Dec 8, 1998),” says Mr English.

“He was also quoted as saying ‘I think Mrs Shipley herself is on record as saying she counts her numbers daily’.

“So again I’m calling on United Future to exercise the influence that only it has over Labour and stop the sale of Air New Zealand before it takes flight.

“If it’s good enough for Peter Dunne to threaten to bring down the Government when he had a huge majority in Ohariu-Belmont, then the sale of a New Zealand icon must be a far more commonsense cause,” says Mr English.

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