'Strange bedfellows in an unnatural alliance'

Press Release by Brian Connell, MP For Rakaia & National Party Spokesman on Forestry

"I've never seen an unlikelier alliance," commented Brian Connell, MP for Rakaia yesterday after watching both ACT and the New Zealand Green Party join forces. "They say that politics makes for strange bedfellows, but it doesn't get much stranger than this."

His comments followed the unsuccessful attempt by both Act and the Greens to block the long-awaited Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill, better known as the Boy Racer Bill.

"Act is a party I had come to respect in a number of areas," explained Mr Connell. "Yet here they are blocking the passage of a bill which ordinary New Zealanders have been calling for with increasing urgency.

"I'm not sure why they're ignoring the public's view in this matter, even lining up with the likes of Sue Bradford to do it. Quite frankly, I would have thought they had enough problems to cope with this year without adding petrol."

"At issue is the impoundment of cars. Act claims that legislation already covers it, yet both the Police and I know that this is not the case. So much for the self-styled 'Zero tolerance' party."

"Cars are the pride and joy of these louts. The only way to change their behaviour is to take their toys away," Mr Connell added, "And I don't care if that offends the feelings of a few lounge bar liberals."

"It's no surprise to see the Greens line up in defence of groups of badly behaved, poorly dressed, vandalising young law-breakers, since that is their core constituency after all, but Act seem to have lost the plot."

"When Nandor Tanczos and Richard Prebble close ranks, then something is very wrong with the world. This law will give the police the powers they need to protect the community from the dangerous antics of our so-called 'Boy Racers.'"

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