13 November, 2001

“National’s wet-behind-the-ears leader Bill English is sabotaging Kiwibank before it starts,” New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said.

“By threatening to sell the just-launched bank Mr English is telling New Zealanders to not support the new venture. Following his similar threats about Air New Zealand one has to wonder whether this economic sabotage is deliberate or further misguided policy musings.

“From 1984 to 1996 Labour and National sold off $16.5 billion of our nation’s assets, and still more of our taxpayer owned assets have been sold off since then. In addition, Labour and National closed more than 70 hospitals. Before our country was taken for a ride we had a people’s bank, we had a national airline owned by New Zealanders, we had a viable rail network, we had control of our assets, and we had a viable economy.

“Mr English’s assertions that National will once again sell our bank and sell our airline make it clear that he has no intention of leading his Party back to the centre or out of the wilderness. It is also clear that Mr English’s Party has learned absolutely nothing from the mistakes of the past and has no intention of breaking its ideological mould,” Mr Peters said.

ENDS

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