‘Moves by the Labour/Alliance minority government to nationalise Accident Compensation in New Zealand is little more than a pathetic exercise in ideology,’ (Acting) Canterbury/Westland Young Nationals Chair Grant Tyrrell commented today. ‘Nobody in the government has managed to give me a single good reason for this blatant attack on New Zealand employers.’

‘Denying New Zealanders the right to choose between insurance providers has a similar ring as Stalin’s Nationalisation of Russian industry. Michael Cullen smugly telling employers (who are due to lose millions of dollars of savings) that they were warned of this prior to the election does little to displace this image. It stinks of high-handed statism at its worst.

‘This proposal is a poor start for a government that promised pragmatism and positive change. I am afraid that this is about as pragmatic as shooting yourself in the foot before a marathon.

'New Zealanders need to be aware that this is just the start. The Government seems to have caught the "Nationalisation Bug", and its only a matter of time before we see Jim Anderton's "Peoples Bank", and even more meddling and interference in private industry for no apparent reason at all.', warned Mr Tyrrell.

'This "we know best" attitude that seems to be the hallmark of the new Government is disturbing. If Helen Clark has any control of the three-headed "Communist Coalition" she will put a stop to this nonsense and leave the ACC changes alone,’ Grant Tyrrell concluded.

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