15 September 2001

Now the Government is financing Air New Zealand its time for them to stop attacking the company, National's Finance spokesperson and Acting Leader Bill English said today.

"On Thursday the Government produced an agreement they said was a solution to Air New Zealand's problems. It's now the clear this agreement is highly conditional.

"The agreement is not going to work if Air New Zealand and the Government are at each other's throats over whose fault it is.

"We need a stand-alone viable national flag carrier with a good future, but there is an awful long way to go to achieve that. The Government's proposal still depends on due diligence and the agreement of the main shareholders and the bankers.

"The Government is putting a big effort into blaming Air New Zealand for the problems, and Air New Zealand is going to feel bound to respond. All this effort should be put into securing the company's survival and rebuilding its future," Mr English said.

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