ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble today said it was outrageous Winston Peters was attacking ACT's Deputy Leader Hon Ken Shirley for risking his own personal safety to serve as a United Nations observer in East Timor.

"Parliament's Business Committee, of which New Zealand First is a member but rarely attends, voted unanimously that it was in New Zealand's best interests to accept the United Nations invitation to send Mr Shirley and four other MPs to monitor the historic independence vote in East Timor.

"As Treasurer Mr Peters toured the world extensively. One such trip was his notorious visit to New York to negotiate with IBM over the INCIS contract. In many ways that trip turned out to be one of the most expensive ever undertaken by a New Zealand MP.

"Ken Shirley lives in Tauranga and has given an absolute assurance to the people of the Bay of Plenty that he intends continuing to live in and represent the Bay of Plenty region.

"What is concerning Mr Peters is that the latest poll shows that 70% of the people of Tauranga do not want him to be their MP.

"If the anti-Peters forces consolidate on another candidate Mr Peters realises he will have to return to being a suburban solicitor working to get people off their parking tickets," said Richard Prebble.

ENDS

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