Taxpayers are headed for a bill of
hundreds of millions of dollars more to bail out Air New
Zealand, National's Finance spokesperson Bill English said
today.
"Helen Clark's week of blundering appears to have
finally given the Government a sense of urgency about the
Air New Zealand rescue.
"Unfortunately it looks as though
the taxpayer will be putting up hundreds of millions more
than it did two weeks ago because Helen Clark has to be
saved from further embarrassment.
"A deal worth $850
million two weeks ago looks set to rise to over $1 billion.
The final deal will bring an end to the dithering and
blundering, started by Dr Cullen, picked up by Helen Clark,
and now passed on to Brierley Investments.
"Brierleys and
Singapore Airlines will be pleased that the Government has
to save its political skin with a very large cheque," Mr
English said.
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