Campaign shorts

Alliance pay, study plan to aid youth

The Alliance has released a six-step plan for young people it says are getting a raw deal from the Government.

The plan pulls together strands from other policies.

The Alliance would:

* Reinstate universal student allowances for all full-time students irrespective of parental income. Young people are means-tested on their parents' income until they are 25 for full-time studies.

* Invest in economic development to ensure everyone under 20 has a job or is in full-time education or training.

* Increase the minimum wage to $7.50 an hour.

* Remove tertiary fees.

* Establish a youth radio network.

* Establish a network of sports academies.

Act steps aside

Act's Rotorua candidate has dropped out of the election, prompting claims from Labour leader Helen Clark that incumbent MP Max Bradford is "running scared."

Tauranga man Reg Turner said he was asked by "Act hierarchy" to withdraw his candidacy to show the nation that Act was a partner to the National Party.

Mr Turner said he did not want to threaten Mr Bradford's position as MP.

Mr Bradford faces a serious challenge from first-time Labour candidate Steve Chadwick.

Promises out

National's Coromandel MP, Murray McLean, distanced himself from his own party's health reforms last night.

At an election meeting to debate local health services, Mr McLean admitted that Thames Hospital had fewer services than other similar-sized communities.

The hospital's future has been in doubt since plans were unveiled several years ago to downgrade it.

Mr McLean said he had worked hard to secure a five-year contract for Thames Hospital.

"I can't promise anything because I can't guarantee it."

Sue Moroney, the chairwoman of the Waikato Coalition for Public Health, said Mr McLean was "basically admitting that his Government's health reforms don't work in this setting."

Meeting missed

Alliance leader Jim Anderton was stood up by a group of mill workers in Rotorua yesterday - but took the free time to return phone messages.

Mr Anderton attended a hui at Ohinemutu Marae that sought to see 28 Maori Battalion member Lance-Sergeant Haane Manahi awarded the Victorian Cross posthumously.

He was due to meet Rotorua timber workers suffering from chemical poisoning at a room on the marae immediately afterwards.

When the workers did not show, Mr Anderton checked with his Wellington office and admitted to being baffled.

He said he would use the time to deal with about 30 tasks during his journey to Hamilton.