Helen Clark in Total Control

Rodney Hide Wednesday, 19 October 2005

ACT Leader Rodney Hide said today that Helen Clark now has a vice-like grip on government, thanks to Winston Peters and Peter Dunne.

"The Cabinet is 100 percent Labour - Jim Anderton is the defacto Labour MP for Wigram.

"Over half of Helen Clark's caucus are now Ministers.

"Helen Clark is now firmly in charge.

"Winston Peters and Peter Dunne must vote for a government in which they have no say.

"I'm not surprised that Winston Peters and Peter Dunne sold out their voters - they've done that before - what surprises me is that they sold them out so cheaply.

"Winston Peters and Peter Dunne are now the castrated poodles of New Zealand politics," concluded Rodney Hide.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

RNZ Live Blog: Eruption At Whakaari / White Island

An eruption has occured on Whakaari / White Island in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, sending a huge plume of smoke and ash into the sky.

GNS Science says the eruption occured at 2.10pm.

There's has been moderate volcanic unrest on the island for the past few weeks, prompting GNS to say it appeared the volcano was possibly entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal. More>>

St John Ambulance says up to 20 people are believed to have been injured in this afternoon's eruption. A spokesperson said a mobile triage unit was on its way to the island.