7 July 2002

Rakaia National Party member Roger Payne’s announcement that he will stand against his own party in the electorate has been welcomed by Labour Candidate Tony Milne.

“Payne standing for the Christian Heritage Party is exposing the reality of the local National Party and opens up the seat for me to win” Tony Milne said.

National Party support has been bleeding to Labour over the past year and now that support could turn into a constituency as well as Party Vote win for Labour in Rakaia.

“Labour has been polling very well, even in what have traditionally been National seats”, Mr Milne said.

Roger Payne was a National Party member who caused controversy in April this year when he said his experience of the selection process showed an “aging and lethargic party organisation with a low skill level” and said “the organisation appears to be in an advanced state of decline”. (The Press)

“The people know that a government MP can achieve much more for the Rakaia electorate than an opposition MP in a party that is falling to pieces and ripping itself apart” Tony Milne said.

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