Judith Collins MP - National Party Welfare Spokeswoman

7 April 2005

David Cunliffe talking nonsense

National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins is urging Associate Revenue Minister David Cunliffe to “stop digging” over his bid to hide the real number of liable parents who have fled to Australia.

“Mr Cunliffe needs to answer one question. Why did he give such radically different treatment to exactly the same question which was asked in both 2003 and 2004?”

In 2003 National asked how many New Zealand liable parents are living in Australia?
In 2004 National asked how many New Zealand liable parents are living in Australia?

“In 2003 Mr Cunliffe said there were 12,243 liable parents living in Australia.
In response to exactly the same question in 2004 he said there were 5,197 liable parents living in Australia.

“Unless National had pursued this issue, Mr Cunliffe would have been happy to leave the public with the impression there were only 5,197 liable parents living in Australia.

“But thanks to National, now we know there are more than 11,000 liable parents believed to be living in Australia.

“Mr Cunliffe can dance on the head of a pin all he likes. The fact remains he tried to hide Labour’s soft approach to collecting the debts of defaulters,” says Ms Collins.

ENDS

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