Anderton attacks Greens' tactics

Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton has joined Labour's attack on the Greens, saying they were using scare tactics and threats to get their own way.

Mr Anderton, an assured coalition partner for Labour, told a public meeting in Levin yesterday that the campaign was probably the most negative he had ever experienced.

"It is certainly a campaign based on fear and threats," he said.

"The Greens have tried to hold the country to ransom on the basis of their agenda and how right they are compared to everyone else.

"They have attempted to scare New Zealand families with stories of GE [genetic engineering] that don't bear scientific scrutiny."

Mr Anderton said the Greens were committed to bringing the next government down if they could - unless it agreed with them.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has previously accused the Greens of holding the country to ransom on a single issue, and last week she said they were using "dirty politics" following the publication of Nicky Hager's book Seeds of Distrust.

Yesterday Mr Anderton also criticised Act, National and New Zealand First, saying those parties tried to hinge their campaigns on scaring people about crime.

"Of course, rather than solving crime their policies will make crime worse and train people with a bad start in life to be harder, more committed criminals," he said.

- NZPA

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