Alliance Says It Is Not Merging With Maori Party

John Pagani’s announcement on National Radio today that the Alliance is merging with the Maori Party is nothing more than a politically motivated beat-up, says Alliance President Jill Ovens.

Pagani, who features on National Radio as a commentator “of the Left”, is a former Alliance press secretary now with the Progressives.

Ms Ovens says the Alliance supported the Maori Party as an important political development that should be encouraged.

However, it is one thing to assist in a by-election in which the Alliance was not standing and quite another to suggest that a merger is on the cards.

“The Alliance is a political party in its own right with members who are actively involved in campaigns to raise benefit levels, bring electricity back into public control, put affordable housing on the political agenda, oppose US imperialism in Iraq, and oppose racism wherever it occurs.

“Several of our members are standing in local body elections on joint tickets with Greens, Labour and even Progressive candidates.

“And we have members actively involved in the union movement in leading roles.” Ms Ovens says the Alliance is firmly on the side of working people and will do whatever it takes to ensure that a reactionary Brash-led Government is not elected in 2005.

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