Air NZ sale would hit air points says English

By BERNARD ORSMAN

New Zealanders would be stripped of their air points in Air New Zealand if Qantas bought the national carrier, says National leader Bill English.

He made the comments on the TV3 leaders' debate last night with Labour leader Helen Clark.

It was the second and final time in the election campaign that the two main leaders had gone head to head on television.

Mr English said one reason the Government would not talk about the sale of Air New Zealand to Qantas was that the sale would involve the cancellation of all Air New Zealand air points.

Helen Clark said the claim was news to her as she continued a silence over the widely tipped sale of a stake in Air New Zealand to Qantas.

"We have no proposal before us. I cannot comment on any commercial dealings of Air New Zealand because insider trading rules prevent me doing that," she said.

However, she gave her strongest hint yet that a deal was being worked on when she said the Government would keep a "very strong majority shareholding" in Air New Zealand.

Mr English said information about the sale was all around the Australian market and National had approached the Stock Exchange to ask if the New Zealand market could be given the same information.

Air New Zealand chairman John Palmer has denied claims by National finance spokesman David Carter that a sale in the national carrier is a "done deal".

This was not good enough for Mr English, who last night said Air New Zealand had decided not to divulge information.

"This is about nationalism. Whether we want the kangaroo to replace the koru on our airplanes. As Prime Minister, I would not let that happen," said Mr English, whose party favours selling Air New Zealand to another overseas airline.

Helen Clark said the Government had taken a lot of abuse from National for bailing out Air New Zealand. "If our Government had not come in, our airline would not be flying today," she said.

Air New Zealand did not respond to calls from the Herald last night.

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