Hon Lockwood Smith

Opposition Commerce Spokesperson

1 March 2000

Extraordinary arrogance from new Labour MP

National's Commerce Spokesman, Lockwood Smith, today said the new chair of the Commerce Select Committee, David Cunliffe, was showing extraordinary arrogance in seeking to pre-empt the decisions of the Committee as to its work programme.

"A select committee is a committee of Parliament and the Labour Party Chair has no right to seek to hijack its agenda."

Dr Smith said David Cunliffe had overstepped the mark in his capacity as Chair of the Commerce Select Committee to suggest he could use the Committee to "help get the Government off the sideline and into the game...".

"We will seek to clarify Mr Cunliffe's position when the select committee meets tomorrow.

"If David Cunliffe thinks he can use the Commerce Select Committee as a Labour/Alliance Government lackey, he will receive no co-operation from the Opposition", said Dr Smith.

Ends

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