Clark gives little away to seal deal

By VERNON SMALL, deputy political editor

Helen Clark has secured the numbers to govern for the next three years by making only paltry policy concessions to Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition and United Future.

The Prime Minister yesterday signed a formal coalition agreement with Mr Anderton's party and a support agreement with Peter Dunne to seal her election victory.

The two deals give her 63 votes on key confidence and supply in the 120-seat House.

But she will need to turn to the Greens for support on some policies not backed by Mr Dunne's party.

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons confirmed that her party would not support the Government on confidence votes because Labour insisted the moratorium on the release of genetically modified organisms should end next year.

"Labour has made a choice that lifting the moratorium is more important than the centre-left agenda that its supporters expect," Ms Fitzsimons said.

"It became clear last week that releasing GE is a bottom line for Labour, and that therefore there is no way we could give confidence to a Government we believe is sabotaging our economic future, our markets, and putting at risk our health and our environment."

Later, flanked by Mr Anderton and Mr Dunne, Helen Clark said she would lead a "mainstream, moderate, social democratic" minority Government.

Details of its policy programme would be spelled out in the Speech from the Throne on August 27.

Mr Anderton would retain a seat at the Cabinet table but Corrections Minister Matt Robson would move out.

The Progressive Coalition's priorities of employment, support for low-income families, health and education would be taken into account.

The deal with Mr Dunne includes his support for procedural motions in Parliament. That will ensure the Government gets "urgency" to extend Parliament's sitting hours to speed law-making. Support for other law changes will be negotiated case by case.

In return, Mr Dunne gets priority for a Commission for the Family, and victims' rights legislation currently before Parliament will be passed this year.

A law allowing tolls and private and public partnerships to pay for new roads will be fast-tracked. It is a key issue in Mr Dunne's Ohariu-Belmont electorate, where he has championed the alternative Transmission Gully motorway route into Wellington.

Mr Dunne, who opposed many Labour-Alliance measures in the last term, said he could change his vote on laws before the House now that he was in the policy loop.

Helen Clark would not rule out Mr Dunne getting a seat in Cabinet later in the term.

She said talks on a "collaborative arrangement" with the Greens were still under way.

Ms Fitzsimons said her party would vote independently in Parliament "making our decisions on issues in accordance with our own policy".

Full text of coalition agreement

United Future Agreement

Full election coverage

Graphic: Seats in the 47th Parliament

Full election results

Election links:
The parties, policies, electoral information, and more