Alliance barely gets mention in Budget

By FRANCESCA MOLD

The word "Alliance" was strangely missing from the Government's catalogue of self congratulations in yesterday's Budget.

The junior Coalition partner rated only one mention in Finance Minister Michael Cullen's speech and Prime Minister Helen Clark referred only to the achievements of "this Government".

There was no Alliance press conference at the media lock-up and the press pack contained only Jim Anderton's brag list about his ministerial achievements.

Alliance MPs Sandra Lee and Matt Robson, who are ditching the party at the election to join the Progressive Coalition party with Mr Anderton, slipped in press releases about their achievements.

But Laila Harre, elected Alliance leader after the party expelled Mr Anderton, was left to distribute her own press statement on her successes as Women's Affairs Minister.

Nor will she get the opportunity to speak in the Budget debate until this afternoon. Mr Anderton used the Alliance leader's speaking spot because Parliament still recognises him in that role.

Ms Harre said it was clear Labour was trying to disassociate itself from the Alliance MPs and their colleagues who intended to leave the Alliance at the election. That was election-year strategy at work.

Labour wanted to win a majority so it could govern alone.

The Alliance wanted to capture some Labour voters who might be attracted to a "principled party of the left" in Government.

In his speech, Mr Anderton extolled the virtues of a "stable co-operative Government" and took a swipe at those of his colleagues who are staying with the Alliance.

"There are some of my colleagues that want to differentiate," he said.

"Well the Government's on 55 per cent and the Alliance on 1 per cent, that's pretty good differentiation, I think."

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Budget links - including Treasury documents:
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