Wairarapa woolshed on English agenda

National leader Bill English should be right at home on the campaign trail today -- first up is a meeting in a Wairarapa woolshed.

Mr English will spend the day in Wairarapa before heading to Auckland where he will be quizzed by a panel of journalists for Sky television.

Prime Minister Helen Clark, meanwhile, will concentrate on Taupo, a seat held by Labour's Mark Burton by a comfortable 3850 votes.

She will be hoping people are more interested in her visit to Lakeland of Taupo, a finalist in the New Zealand tourism awards, than the continuing "paintergate" scandal, but that's unlikely.

Police may have decided not to charge Miss Clark over the matter but they did find she had a case to answer, and her actions in the inquiry have given Mr English some excellent fodder.

The two fired at each other yesterday, following Mr English's stinging attack on Miss Clark to his party's annual conference on Sunday.

He said Labour's entire campaign was based on Miss Clark's integrity but she had not co-operated fully with police when they investigated the artwork she signed but did not paint.

She in turn accused him of "gutter politics" and threatened legal action but yesterday indicated she would not pursue that avenue, saying Mr English was desperate for attention but she "may not give him that pleasure".

ACT leader Richard Prebble joined the debate, telling reporters Miss Clark appeared to have had a "Winebox-style memory loss".

"When you are the prime minister you are setting the standards; when the police come around one would expect a prime minister to be open, frank and honest."

Also in Wellington yesterday, Finance Minister Michael Cullen gave a categoric assurance the next Labour-led government would not raise taxes and said there were no plans to increase petrol excise.

National has been claiming the Government has covert plans to raise taxes, mainly through the dedicated health tax it is considering implementing. It has also warned of big petrol price increases after the disclosure of a draft roading document which is under discussion.

"The health tax will not increase taxes. That is absolutely solid and sound," Dr Cullen said.

"We see no need for any increase in the next three years," he said... we have no plans to increase petrol tax," he said.

- NZPA

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