NZ First, Act trade insults

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

A nasty scrap has developed between New Zealand First and Act as they fight over which party will be the most effective Opposition to the new Government.

The argument began yesterday with Winston Peters describing Act and National as a disastrous Opposition that had floundered every time it came up against Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Act's deputy leader, Ken Shirley, responded by accusing Mr Peters of acting like a jilted bride after he was shut out of a potential coalition deal with the new Labour-led Government.

Mr Shirley said the NZ First MPs were a bunch of novices and he attacked the party's election campaign as xenophobic, with race-based slurs against Asians.

"He [Mr Peters] is the Pauline Hanson of New Zealand politics and I predict NZ First will share the same fate as Ms Hanson and her One Australia Party."

But Mr Peters said his team, which includes eight new MPs, would establish itself as the only effective Opposition party in Parliament.

He said both National and Act were in deep trouble because their policies were too similar to Labour's. New Zealand First had no plans to work with either party as a collective Opposition force.

"Why would you line yourself up with people who are proven disasters in politics," said Mr Peters. "You can't mount an opposition with people who don't have a track record and who can't hack it with the Prime Minister on the stage. We can."

Mr Peters said he would work alongside other parties when necessary and would vote with the Government on legislation that was common sense and fitted in with New Zealand First's policies.

But he warned that Labour had made a mistake by rejecting NZ First as a potential coalition partner.

"The Labour Party should have had a sight more care when they came out and launched a vicious attack on us before and after the election.

"They have made it very clear they do not want any part of us in their Government. That's fine by us. We can take rejection. But we are therefore set on a different path to them."

He said New Zealand First was focused on doing a good job in Opposition.

"That's clearly the position that the Labour Party and their collaborators want, so we'll get on with doing just that."

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