Hon Richard Prebble CBE
Leader ACT New Zealand
MP Wellington Central
Parliament Buildings

10 June 1999

Hon Helen Clark
Leader Labour Party
Parliament Buildings

Dear Helen

Deceptive advertising?

I keep reading material from your party where you are claiming to be similar to Tony Blair's New Labour government in the UK.

An example is Mr Maharey's article in this week's Independent where he seeks to brand NZ Labour with the Tony Blair 'third way' image.

I hate to be the bearer of this news, but are you aware that Tony Blair and Germany's new Social Democrat Chancellor Gerhard Schroder have just issued a new charter in which they call for lower tax, less public spending and more freedom for business?

Where does that leave the NZ Labour party, the advocators of higher tax, more government spending and more red tape for business?

Is it just a case of deceptive advertising by NZ Labour when it claims that its credit card follows similar lines to that of Tony Blair? Or alternatively, could it be you're just out of date?

My question is - is the NZ Labour party going to follow the lead of Tony Blair and Gerhard Schroder? If not, are you willing to publicly state why you believe the British Prime Minister and the German Chancellor are wrong?

Why does NZ Labour say that increasing taxes is the route to prosperity when the British and German centre left governments say that the only way is to decrease taxes and cut spending?

I challenge you to write me a letter setting out why the NZ Labour party policies are correct and the British and German policies are wrong. Alternatively, you might like to explain how you can claim your policies are the same as theirs when they appear diametrically opposed.

I look forward to your answer which I invite you to send in an open letter. Following the same advice, I am making this an open letter too.

With kind regards

Yours sincerely

Hon Richard Prebble CBE
Leader ACT New Zealand
MP Wellington Central

cc: Steve Maharey - Mr Maharey: I've sent this to the present leader of the Labour party. Should she be unwilling to answer, is her successor willing? >/I>

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