Shirley To Stand In Tamaki

At a public meeting in the Selwyn College Auditorium, Kohimaramara last night, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader Ken Shirley was announced as the ACT candidate for the Tamaki electorate challenging Clem Simich for the seat at the next election.

"ACT has always polled well in Tamaki and the electorate is screaming out for more energetic and effective representation," Mr Shirley said.

"Mr Simch won the Tamaki seat in the 1992 by-election following the death of Sir Robert Muldoon. At the time Mr Simich told the world that he was taking a message to Wellington. Eleven years later Wellington still has no idea what that message is.

"A recent Sunday Star-Times survey of MP performances highlighted Mr Simich as one of the most ineffective and unproductive MPs. While he might be a kindly gentleman and a fine upstanding citizen, he is not doing his job as a member of Parliament. He is invisible in Wellington and a totally inadequate representative for the good people of Tamaki.

"While I campaigned in Tamaki exclusively for the party vote in 2002, I was delighted by the level of support that I had in the constituency vote. I know that I can defeat Clem Simich in 2005 and it would be an honour and a privilege to represent the people of Tamaki.

"While challenging Clem Simich, I support a closer working relationship between National and ACT. Together we can provide a much more attractive alternative government to the Labour/Green option.

"Don Brash has made a great start as leader of the National Party. He champions ACT's core principles of freedom and choice. He shares ACT's beliefs in smaller government, reduced welfare dependency and excellence and choice in education.

"To implement these policies in government, electorate accommodations between National and ACT will be necessary. This strategy will necessitate non-performing National members being replaced with more energetic and productive ACT members in some instances," Mr Shirley said.

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