Wednesday, 29 June 2005

Turner: Collins needs to move past 'shared ignorance'

United Future deputy leader Judy Turner today slammed National as big on criticism and short on solutions, in the wake of social welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins' latest criticism of the Families Commission.

"She appears to be highly critical of 2500 responses to the Families Commission's What Makes Your Family Tick campaign while ignoring the fact that it's a considerably larger sample of the population than that of recent polls from which her party has drawn so much comfort," Mrs Turner said.

"Rather than mindlessly slamming the campaign virtually before it has begun, perhaps Ms Collins could tell us what National would actually do about the benefit system; about improving the Family Court system; about the plight of kinship caregivers; about lifting home ownership rates and the impact of student debt on young families.

"Should Ms Collins one day hold a ministerial warrant, she might actually be grateful for fact-based data on the New Zealand family to help shape policy.

"One would presume that sooner or later she will tire of basing her regular tirades on negativity and shared ignorance," she said.

"She could start with a policy for New Zealand families. Any time you like, Judith."

ENDS

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