Act plays down rifts

Act is playing down reports of member dissatisfaction with Rodney Hide as leader and a rift in the party over its direction.

Actpolled around just 2 per cent in a poll at the weekend and the Herald reported today that some party supporters were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Act's leadership and direction.

The party is continuing to woo former National MP and Auckland mayor John Banks as a candidate for this election.

The Herald said some party supporters saw Mr Banks as an alternative leader to Mr Hide after the election and having him on board beforehand would help the party recapture some of the vote it had lost to National since Don Brash was installed as leader.

Party president Catherine Judd said today she had met with Mr Banks in Auckland yesterday for about five minutes. She said the talks were informal and just to "keep the lines of communication open".

She hoped Mr Banks would play some part in its campaign, but it had not yet been decided if he would put his name forward as a potential candidate.

While there was concern over Act's low poll ratings, the party had been talking to Mr Banks for months and the talks were not a result of dissatisfaction with Mr Hide, she said.

Mr Hide said he did not see a fight for Act's leadership eventuating between himself and Mr Banks.

If Act failed to pass the 5 per cent threshold at the election, he would fall on his sword. "If Act does not get back to Parliament I'll certainly be offering my resignation," he said.

Mr Hide played down talk of a rift in the party, between those happy with Act's current direction and those unhappy with his focus on scandal and perk busting.

He said there was always a debate in the party around its directions, but he saw his scandal-busting approach complemented the promotion of the party's policies.

Uncovering the Government's mistakes and wrong doings, put the media spotlight on Act, giving it the opportunity to promote its policies.

He said he could not understand talk from some party members that Mr Banks would do a better job promoting Act's core principles.

"It doesn't add up, because John Banks is a well-known political scrapper not a policy purist."

- NZPA