Katherine Rich MP
National Party Social Services Spokeswoman

16 December 2004

Weasel words and apple pie in social report

"It's taken five years for Steve Maharey to produce a social report which can only be described as an absolute load of politically correct nonsense," says National Party Social Services spokeswoman Katherine Rich.

"Weasel words are scattered like confetti through this document, as is the motherhood and apple pie political rhetoric. Labour's essentially trying to convince New Zealanders they're for everything good and against anything bad.

"Five years in the making, and Steve Maharey's final fling as Social Development Minister provides nothing new. No ideas, no vision, little substance and a restatement of adages that no one disagrees with.

"Taxpayers deserve to know how much of their money has been spent producing this meaningless document. It's little more than an expensive election pamphlet for Labour which we're all paying for.

"The 96 pages of rhetoric boils down to one obvious message - the Government wants us all to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Startling stuff indeed!

"This won't make any difference at all to those in real need in this country.

"It's merely another Government doorstop that no one will read and which will soon be gathering dust on the shelf.

"After five years, the Minister must be embarrassed that this is as good as it gets," says Mrs Rich

ENDS

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