Fighting talk from Act leader Rodney Hide

Rodney Hide

Low poll ratings won't stop Act getting into Parliament -- they haven't before, Leader Rodney Hide said today.

In his state of the nation address in Auckland today Mr Hide sought to dismiss speculation his party wouldn't be around after this year's election.

"Come election 2005 New Zealanders will be hungry for a contest and they will want to see Helen Clark taken on," he said. "And we intend to make it a contest."

The election would be a typical MMP election, meaning smaller parties would gain support closer to voting day.

Nine months before the 1996 election Act was polling 1.6 per cent. Before the 1999, 2002 and now they polled 3.9 per cent, 2.7 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively.

"I don't for a second take any comfort from these figures. We have a lot of work to do. But we love a challenge. We will be back," Mr Hide said.

 

The party would continue to pursue its battle against bureaucracy, high taxes, waste and state control.

"Act's values are New Zealand's values. Our opponents accuse us of being a party for the rich."

But Mr Hide said the party's nine MPs were not wealthy and reminded his audience that his dad was a truck driver.

"That's why I am in Act," he said. "Act is the party of working New Zealand."

Mr Hide said Act was the only party promising better pay for workers.

"We need to reward hard work and enterprise not stomp it down. We need to look after those who work and produce to prosper and succeed as a nation."

Other parties had "pinched" Act ideas, but Mr Hide said that was good for the country. Areas where he said Act led the debate were one law for all New Zealanders, full and final Treaty of Waitangi settlements with a fixed timetable, tougher sentencing, welfare reform, school choice and tax cuts.

"We are pleased that these ideas are gaining currency across the political parties. We will work with everyone and anyone to achieve a freer and more prosperous New Zealand."

In his first state of the nation speech as Act leader after taking over from Richard Prebble last year Mr Hide outlined the 10-year-old party's goals:

* to make New Zealand the safest country in the world with the "toughest" law and order policy;

* to let workers make more money by reducing taxes rather than growing surpluses. Act wants four rates of income tax, the business and top personal rate to drop to 25 cents in the dollar and the 15-cent rate be extended up to $38,000;

* to let New Zealanders prosper by battling red tape and reducing government intervention. Mr Hide made a special mention of the rural community saying its citizens had become second-class and citing proposals to allow people access to rivers and lakes on properties while denying farmers rights to defend themselves;

* to achieve colour-blind government with one law for all New Zealanders;

* to encourage immigration of people with needed skills and create a society expatriates will want to return to; and

* to create better social policy by involving the private sector more in health care, giving parents a choice in schools by allowing their taxes to go to their school of choice whether it be private or state, and reforming welfare so only the truly needy can get it.

Mr Hide criticised the Government for its interventionist approach and said National would be its preferred coalition partner; "especially now that National is increasingly moving to the centre and signing up to Labour policy. Act will need to be the brains and the spine of the Brash-led government."

- NZPA