Anderton says he gave PM no warning

By AUDREY YOUNG political editor

Third-ranked minister Jim Anderton was defending Prime Minister Helen Clark last night from suggestions that because she had been forewarned about his attack on the United States, she had approved it.

Mr Anderton said he did not give her advance detail on Sunday of what he was going to say in a reporters' briefing on Monday. He accused a US Government spokesman of having attacked the integrity of Helen Clark for critical comments in the Herald and of trying to influence New Zealanders against their own Prime Minister.

He said New Zealand pulled its weight internationally and deserved better treatment from the US, which he said could be perceived as "bullying".

Mr Anderton has been accused of worsening a situation already difficult in the wake of New Zealand being blacklisted for a free-trade deal.

National leader Bill English said that because Helen Clark had been given advance warning and had not tried to stop him "we must assume that she approved".

Helen Clark is saying nothing.

Mr Anderton was at pains to say he was acting independently, as the leader of the Progressive Party.

"My call to her to say, 'Tomorrow I am going to have a press conference about X' is all she knew," Mr Anderton told the Herald last night.

Mr Anderton was unrepentant and does not believe he has made matters worse.

He acknowledged suggestions that Trade Minister Jim Sutton was unhappy with him but said: "People have to remember that I'm actually the leader of a party in my own right. It might only be two people in [Parliament] but there's a couple of thousand people out there who are members.

"I'm not suggesting the American Administration is sitting there having sleepless nights about what I said but I'm glad that I've said it. In a way people have a right to know what other people think besides the Prime Minister."

Mr Sutton will meet US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick in Bangkok next Sunday at an Apec ministers meeting.

The pair are expected to discuss the developments of the past week.

They have included New Zealand being explicitly excluded from a free-trade deal with the US; confirmation that political and security issues were among factors in the decision; a US Government spokesman pointing the finger of blame at Prime Minister Helen Clark for comments on the Iraq war; and Mr Anderton's counter-attack.

Mr Anderton said he had had support from some Labour MPs. To an outcry from Opposition MPs, he said, "They would say that, wouldn't they?"

A former New Zealand ambassador to Washington, Denis McLean, said Mr Anderton appeared not to understand how Washington worked. "The only way a small outfit like ours can advance is to have brownie points. And if you don't have brownie points you are not going to have any kind of priority hearing at all.

"It's not any arcane mystery of diplomacy. This is where Jim Anderton misses out in understanding.

"He says, 'It's so unfair. We do so many nice things around the world. We're such nice guys in peace-keeping'.

"He knows perfectly well that politics is not about what you did for me yesterday but what are you doing for me today."

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said Mr Anderton's "crass" diplomacy with the US was jeopardising New Zealand's trade and security interests.

"The Prime Minister's unfortunate remarks could not be shrugged off as being of no moment. They were personal and embarrassing and it does no credit to Mr Anderton to join the fray like a rugby player rushing to join a punch-up on a paddock."

Act leader Richard Prebble said it was "unhelpful for the number three Cabinet minister in the New Zealand Government to launch such a vitriolic and basically silly attack on the United States".

Peter Dunne: "Let's take a reality check. New Zealand survives by world trade. The United States is the world's biggest economy. We need them more than they need us.

"It's just common sense that we use every positive endeavour to make sure the USA regards us warmly."