Prebble's time up says ex-MP

By HELEN TUNNAH

Ousted Act MP Owen Jennings says Richard Prebble may need to be replaced as leader if the party is to broaden its appeal.

Mr Jennings said Act's election-night result of 7 per cent was poor. The party had not improved on its 1999 result although its right-leaning ally National lost 9 per cent of its vote.

"It was very disappointing and I think the party's really going to have to go through a pretty honest appraisal of where it's at and what it's been doing ...

"I also think we're going to have to review the leadership of the party. Richard's done an extraordinary job of getting us to where we are."

He said Mr Prebble was, and always would be, linked to the Rogernomics policies of the 1980s and Act needed to move on.

"I'm one of his strongest supporters and I think he has done an extraordinary job in improving his image. But I also think it is time for some renewal."

Mr Jennings said there were four MPs who could replace Mr Prebble as leader - his deputy, Ken Shirley, Stephen Franks, Rodney Hide or Muriel Newman.

Mr Prebble was ill yesterday and was not available for comment.

However Mr Shirley said he believed Mr Prebble was leading the party well and there was no talk of a change.

"Richard Prebble ran an incredible campaign. His energy is legendary. I've detected no dissatisfaction whatsoever. I think our strategy was right ... We are still pretty satisfied that we held rock solid."

He had no idea if Mr Prebble wanted to lead Act into another election. "That's only something he can answer, whether he personally wants to."

Mr Jennings was expected to lose his place in Parliament after being dropped down Act's list last month. Also dumped is another member of Act's rural caucus, Penny Webster.

Act is still entitled to nine MPs, and replacing Mr Jennings and Ms Webster from the list are journalist Deborah Coddington and Heather Roy, of Wellington.

A former Federated Farmers president, Mr Jennings said Act had paid in the regions for appearing to move away from its rural constituency.

"We improved our vote in Auckland, and that is good, but we need to have a balanced approach. If we are going to be a significant party we need to represent more than just Auckland seats, or Auckland's blue seats."

He said Act was caught short by the early election. "We didn't have candidates in a number of seats. Where we did have some, they had no support structure."

Mr Shirley defended Act's performance. He said the campaign had been message-focused, and the result was the same as three years ago and an improvement on opinion poll ratings of a few months ago.

"We held firm, we're pleased that we did that, but personally I'm disappointed. National slumped badly and in a way we could have slumped with them, because we are seen as a coalition partner."

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