ACT president slams National, Labour and the media

If there was any doubt ACT would do whatever it took to break out of the National Party's shadow its party president Catherine Judd dispelled that in a speech this morning.

Speaking at ACT's eleventh annual conference in Auckland Ms Judd slammed National, Labour and the media.

Ms Judd said National had in the past stood for principles but had moved from its original values.

"In recent years the party has been all too willing to jettison or dilute their principles in exchange for voter appeal."

Her comments were in line with ACT's increasingly open criticism of National - which has been performing well in polls at ACT's expense - for backing down on key policies.

"They (National) owe an apology to their supporters who thought they were voting for a party which supported freedom and opposed socialism. Maybe they think looking like Labour's Mini Me will make the voters want them -- or maybe they are just trying to be lovable?

"I think they should say sorry."

She then launched into a list of 30 points where National had failed New Zealanders. Criticism ranged from perceived failures while in Government such as the Resource Management Act, NCEA, and abandoning privatisation after 1993.

Ms Judd criticised National in its role as the largest opposition party for abandoning its review of the nuclear ships ban, for its weak tax policy, reversal of opposition to the superannuation fund, reversal of opposition to four weeks holiday and the decision to retain ownership of Kiwibank and TVNZ.

"But let's not get depressed about it," Ms Judd said.

ACT had tried to be a supportive partner but now felt like a "battered spouse".

She had a go at National Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee for his comments that ACT did not have a future.

"The National spokesman for bashing ACT has been charged with throwing us down the electoral staircase -- we're not too worried about that though. Let's face it Gerry is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas Tree."

She said ACT knew it was time to break free of National and said the experience was liberating.

"We don't see it as a deep or permanent rift, more of a trial separation that will lead, we hope to a more honest and realistic relationship."

Labour fared no better as Ms Judd compared its Government to that of Stalinist Russia, Prime Minister Helen Clark to communist leaders and said people should realise the collectivist dream had failed.

"It would be stretching it to suggest that the deification of Helen Clark is getting her up there with Vladimir Ilyich (Lenin) but they do have some things in common," Ms Judd said.

"The ideologies they stood for and other leftist regimes around the world have failed."

She added that there would be little to remember Miss Clark for describing her as a "hollow, cynical, poll-driven formulaic busibody" who would do anything to stay in power.

She said Labour's lead was fragile but should it get back into power it was likely to be with the support of the Greens or New Zealand First.

"This is a prospect that fills me with dread and brings back more bad memories of Breshnev's Moscow," she said after giving a grim description of Russia based on her experiences there in the 1970s.

The media also got it in the neck.

"I am not in the least bit phased by the media's endless cheesy epitaphs for us. They've been pronouncing them at every election: dying ACT, final ACT, disappearing ACT and so on.

"On the contrary I say the curtain has been rising on our ideas here and around the world for the past three decades."

Ms Judd said ACT needed to sell its ideas better but warned research showed only 8 percent of adult New Zealanders felt the economy was the most important problem facing the country and members would need to work hard to have an impact.

"ACT intends to fight a tough campaign and a winning campaign, she told party members."

- NZPA