We're not stealing votes says Act

By CHRIS DANIELS

As Labour goes on the attack against Act, Richard Prebble is reassuring National his party is not stealing its votes.

The Act leader released private polling data in Auckland yesterday that showed the share of centre-right votes is increasing.

He praised National and Prime Minister Jenny Shipley for "campaigning very well" and holding up centre-right support.

Polling was showing a neck-and-neck race between Act/National and a "totally unstable" grouping of Labour, the Alliance and the Greens, said Mr Prebble.

National was polling 8 per cent higher than in September and New Zealand First voters, impressed with a tough law-and-order policy, were moving towards Act, he said.

Asked why he was releasing his party's polling data, Mr Prebble said he "liked to share good news."

Act was not "cannibalising" the National voter. It was responsible for increasing the total size of the centre-right vote.

Mr Prebble also attacked the Green Party list, which includes veteran protester Sue Bradford and Nandor Tanczos, whom Mr Prebble described as an "eco-terrorist."

Latest polls show Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons leading the electorate race in Coromandel, meaning she would be able to take six MPs into any Labour-Alliance coalition.

Attacks on Act are now coming thick and fast, with Labour challenging the party's claims that it can cut taxes without axing spending.

Labour health spokeswoman Annette King claimed Act's tax cuts would stop a $1 billion hospital building programme, but Act finance spokesman Rodney Hide said the hospitals would go ahead as they were capital development rather than spending.

Labour MP and party strategist Pete Hodgson said Act had been "running a campaign of substantially unchallenged misinformation for most of the last three or four weeks."

Labour would "start doing National's job for them."

Mr Hodgson promised to scrutinise Act policies on student debt and national superannuation.