John Key MP
National Party Finance Spokesman

25 January 2005

Picking winners or picking those who've already won?

''Taxpayers will be left scratching their heads when they discover they have funded a third grant to a company owned by one of New Zealand's richest individuals, Auckland's Labour-leaning Mayor, Dick Hubbard,'' says National Party Finance spokesman John Key.

"So much for picking winners. Helen Clark's Government is so sick of failure in that regard it has decided to pick on companies which have already won.

"New Zealanders struggling to make ends meet will be flabbergasted to find they are being asked to continue to fund a flawed corporate welfare policy, which sees a company with the resources of Hubbards Foods being given another Labour Government handout. "While most Kiwis understand the concept of modest grants to help struggling entrepreneurs to move from first base, they will be dismayed that Jim Anderton's corporate welfare mentality makes this company eligible for such a grant," says Mr Key.

Ends

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