Cunliffe's 1st Question Time as Labour Leader - Video

In his only shot at Prime Minister before Key heads overseas, new Labour Leader David Cunliffe sought to establish himself as the “leader of the opposition” during Question time in Parliament this afternoon.

He said yesterday that Labour was on a “war footing” with the 2014 election campaign official under way, and that he intended to take the fight to the Key government.

“I believe I have his number, and I believe he knows I do.”

After caucus this morning with a new deputy leader in David Carter and new whips, Mr Cunliffe said the whole caucus was “fired up and enthusiastic for the challenge ahead.”

He said he would be grilling the Prime Minster about the “magnificent continuation of crony capitalism”.

Mr Cunliffe's question to the Prime Minister:

“Does he still think that Chorus “will go broke” if his Government does not intervene to change the pricing for access to the old copper-based broadband network as proposed by the Commerce Commission; if so, why?

The house discussed Chorus's copper pricing which had been labelled a $600 million tax by a coalition of technology and consumer groups.

Mr Cunliffe asked the Prime Minister where he got this advice about the financial position of Chorus, and why the government had not followed normal consultation and recommendation protocols over the Commerce Commission's report on copper pricing. He said it “smells and tastes like crony capitalism”.

The Prime Minister John Key said he stood by his original statement that there was a chance that it could go broke. He cited a media release from Chorus last year which said that following the Commerce Commission's plan for broadband changes to copper pricing, the company would need to fundamentally rethink its business structure.

He said he had spoken to the Chairperson of Chorus late last year, and there had been discussions in confidence between Chorus and MBIE officials.

During the debate Mr Cunliffe miss-spoke on two occasions saying 'caucus” rather than “Chorus” and received a round of applause when he got it right.

During the debate the Prime Minister goaded Mr Cunliffe saying at least he [Mr Key] had been voted for by all this caucus members.

ENDS

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