Harre refuses to admit she is leader

By AUDREY YOUNG

MPs held their collective breath yesterday waiting for Cabinet minister Laila Harre to declare to Parliament that she is the leader of the Alliance. It did not happen.

For five seconds the House waited for her to reply to the invitation offered her by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. He sought leave. No one objected.

The floor was Ms Harre's, but she sat there stunned, going red with the unexpected attention.

Later she explained herself: "I don't do standing up on demand.

"It was a gratuitous piece of grandstanding in Parliament."

Yes, she said, she was the elected leader of the Alliance, but she had already made it clear she would not contest Jim Anderton's claim to be parliamentary leader of the Alliance because the dispute would be too destabilising.

It was the first day back after a week's recess and the Opposition was again on the case, trying to embarrass the Government for tolerating the junior coalition partner's two-leader arrangement.

Mr Anderton has been expelled from the Alliance for planning to stand for another party - the Progressive Coalition - next election.

He has the support of most Alliance MPs as parliamentary leader of the party - but most of them have been expelled from the Alliance as well for their plans to join Mr Anderton's new party.

Mr Anderton has said he will not join or campaign for the Progressive Coalition until after the House rises for the election.

But National MP Gerry Brownlee yesterday produced contrary evidence. He accused Mr Anderton of campaigning for the Progressive Coalition while keeping his role as leader of the Alliance in Parliament.

He produced literature touting for members in envelopes marked "Jim Anderton's campaign office", and "If undelivered, please return to Jim Anderton MP ... "

"It is not just a complete contempt of this House for him to make the claim that he leads the Alliance in here but that Laila Harre leads it outside," Mr Brownlee said. "This is proof positive that this House is being laughed at by Mr Anderton and his colleagues."

A spokesman for Mr Anderton said the envelopes were used without his knowledge and they had been surplus from previous mail-outs.

Progressive co-chairman Peter Kane said it was an "unfortunate mistake".