Party turns its fire on Boag critic

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

Pakuranga MP Maurice Williamson was heavily criticised at a National Party regional council meeting in Auckland this week for his attacks on president Michelle Boag.

He stayed silent during the entire meeting and left early.

Mr Williamson has gone quiet since Tuesday, when he vowed to keep up his criticism of Ms Boag until she resigned following the election drubbing.

He was given a strong message by the party caucus on Tuesday and the Auckland meeting on Thursday that his actions had wounded the party in the campaign and were continuing to do so.

It is understood Ms Boag did not escape criticism for the campaign at Thursday's private meeting but was not criticised to the same degree as Mr Williamson.

She reiterated her intention not to seek re-election next year - though it is expected she will depart in a few weeks.

About 100 office holders, members and MPs attended the meeting.

Chairman Scott Simpson said it was "useful and constructive - not the sort of meeting many thought it would be".

Ms Boag said it was "very, very, very constructive".

Asked if she and Mr Williamson had decided to declare a public truce, she said: "I've never criticised Maurice."

North Shore MP Wayne Mapp would not talk about the meeting but on his website talks about the reasons for National's failure.

"I believe that the principle reason our vote collapsed was that we failed to have a coherent set of policies for middle New Zealand," he says. "These are people earning between $30,000 and $50,000, either in small businesses or on wages and salaries.

"They want simple things - to own their own home; to have a bit more money in the pocket; and to have good schools with standards.

"In 1996 National's tax policies were aimed squarely at this group, and they voted National.

"Through the 1950s to the 1970s, National had strong home-ownership policies. We were proud of the title a property-owning democracy."

Party leader Bill English said he did not want to spend a lot of time "raking over the entrails of the campaign".

"It's not going to help me much. It's not going to help National much."

His next priority would be to "lock in the candidates and campaign teams".

"Whatever the criticism of the campaign, there have been more activists doing more on the ground than we've had for two or three elections.

"Groups of MPs will be getting around the country talking to candidates and activists to encourage them to stick around and get them into the party structure. We're not seeing people melting away."

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