Leaders Debate #2: Twenty Five Questions

Tuesday, 2 November 1999, 8:40 am
Article: Alastair Thompson

Five leaders, five questions each. Paul Holmes as inquisitor. Yes or no answers requested. The following questions were one of segments from the Second Leaders debate held last night on TV1.

Helen Clark

Q: Would you make Jim Anderton Deputy PM?
A: There is every prospect of that

Q:Would you make Mr Peters Treasurer in order to become govt?
A:No and nor did I last time.

Q: Can you guarantee shorter waiting lists in hospitals within three years?
A: By the end of three years I want shorter waiting times, yes.

Q: If having private insurers in ACC is providing better service more cheaply for everyone will you insist on turning ACC back into a state funded monopoly?
A: It won’t achieve what you say and we will be restoring single public funding – the answer is no because you cannot prove your assertion – nowhere in the world can privatised schemes be shown to be more cost effective.

Q: Was it worth upsetting the West Coast?
A: I believe in those forests being protected and I will do what I can to protect them and the economic development of the West Coast – both can win.

Jim Anderton

Q: Do you want to be Deputy PM?
A: Yes

Q: When you say you will scrap the Student Loans scheme will you write off around $4 billion in student debt?
A: No because we will have an inquiry into that.

Q: Will you go into government with Labour if Labour will not change the Reserve Bank Act?
A: There are no bottom lines. We’re going to work cooperatively with Labour and be a much better govt than this lot.

Q: Should John Hart go?
A: I think so.

Q: Do you seriously believe your policies?
A: Do you want an answer to that? Yes.

Richard Prebble

Q: If National says no to your treaty policy will you accept that?
A: Yes.

(…2 missed questions due to technical malfunction …Scoop will insert these when advised of what they were.)

Q: Did the Aramoana go aground?
A: No.

Q: Will the rugby debacle reduce Jenny Shipley’s chance of election?
A: No

Jenny Shipley

Q: Are you comfortable with Richard Prebble’s treaty policies?
A: We don’t agree with arbitrary termination. But we do agree with getting it being done quickly and bringing it to a conclusion

Q: If the price of a coalition agreement with Mr Peters was for you to step down as National Party leader would you?
A: No. I didn’t last time when he asked me to and I don’t intend to again?

Q: Can we any longer tolerate minority governments?
A: Yes.

Q: Should MPs who resign from a party leave Parliament?
A: No. Jim didn’t. Mr Double standard. Typical.

Q: Did you miss Mr Peters in the Cabinet Room and would you go in there and do it all over again?
A: How does one answer that. I would prefer not to have Winston in the cabinet room but it is in the hands of NZ voters.

Winston Peters

Q: Should I bother with any of these questions?
A: Paul you get paid enough to bother.

Q: If National is the government and you can do it will you block reductions in tax?
A: Yes.

Q: If Labour is the government and you can do it will you block rises in tax?
A: Yes.

Q: Should Taine Randell stay?
A: Look. The guy is falling pretty bad tonight why am I going to worsen his state of mind?

Q: Can we trust you?
A: If you can find anyone with the track record of mine then you trust them more than me. But you will not. I have been to the wire for what I believe. These people have sold out countless times.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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