Jun 2010
Key Should Stop Playing Personal Politics And Come Clean On Kiwibank
04/06/10 03:40 Filed in: News Releases
If National wasn't going to sell Kiwibank they would have said so by
now, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.
"The Government has been fudging assets sales for two weeks. If they
weren't going to sell Kiwibank, they would have said so by now and made
the story go away.
"Instead of coming clean on Kiwibank, the prime minister is now
resorting to personal abuse. For example, "Who cares what Jim Anderton
says?"
"First John Key indicated his promise before the election not to sell
Kiwibank 'ever' was worthless. Then he started playing silly semantic
games. Now he has reduced himself to the kind of petty personal
point-scoring games he claimed he would stand aside from in politics.
"John Key is behaving just like the kind of politician he said he would
never become.
"If he wants to sell Kiwibank, he should be straight with New
Zealanders. He should make his case for the sale on its merits, not on
petty personal politicking," Jim Anderton said.
now, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.
"The Government has been fudging assets sales for two weeks. If they
weren't going to sell Kiwibank, they would have said so by now and made
the story go away.
"Instead of coming clean on Kiwibank, the prime minister is now
resorting to personal abuse. For example, "Who cares what Jim Anderton
says?"
"First John Key indicated his promise before the election not to sell
Kiwibank 'ever' was worthless. Then he started playing silly semantic
games. Now he has reduced himself to the kind of petty personal
point-scoring games he claimed he would stand aside from in politics.
"John Key is behaving just like the kind of politician he said he would
never become.
"If he wants to sell Kiwibank, he should be straight with New
Zealanders. He should make his case for the sale on its merits, not on
petty personal politicking," Jim Anderton said.
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Japan PM resigns over broken promise - why not Key?
03/06/10 15:34 Filed in: News Releases
“The Japanese Prime Minister has just resigned over a broken pre-election campaign promise. But clearly breaking promises is a qualification for government in John Key’s world,” says Jim Anderton MP for Wigram and Progressive Party leader.
“Perhaps John Key is confusing the work ethics that drive the shady world of international speculation, with the moral demands of being in government.
“If you’re Prime Minister you say what you mean and keep your promises. That’s part of the job. If you’re not up to that, you resign. If it’s good enough for the Japanese Prime Minister, why not Mr Key?”
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned yesterday after eight months in office after a broken campaign promise made before he was elected, to move a United States Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
“John Key has broken his promise not to sell Kiwibank ‘at any time in the future’ - ever. He’s now done a U-turn and says the promise not to sell - ever - is only good for the first term of his government.
“That means Kiwibank is only safe for another 12-18 months. Then the ‘for sale’ sign goes up.”
“John Key made a pledge to resign if he broke his promise not to touch superannuation.”
“When is a John Key promise not a promise? When it’s a promise not to put up GST or sell Kiwibank. This is the kind of political cynicism which has changed governments and electoral systems in New Zealand and will do so again.
“John Key should give New Zealanders a list of all the promises he’s made. Tell people now which ones he intends to keep, and which promises he intends to break,” says Jim Anderton.
“Perhaps John Key is confusing the work ethics that drive the shady world of international speculation, with the moral demands of being in government.
“If you’re Prime Minister you say what you mean and keep your promises. That’s part of the job. If you’re not up to that, you resign. If it’s good enough for the Japanese Prime Minister, why not Mr Key?”
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned yesterday after eight months in office after a broken campaign promise made before he was elected, to move a United States Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
“John Key has broken his promise not to sell Kiwibank ‘at any time in the future’ - ever. He’s now done a U-turn and says the promise not to sell - ever - is only good for the first term of his government.
“That means Kiwibank is only safe for another 12-18 months. Then the ‘for sale’ sign goes up.”
“John Key made a pledge to resign if he broke his promise not to touch superannuation.”
“When is a John Key promise not a promise? When it’s a promise not to put up GST or sell Kiwibank. This is the kind of political cynicism which has changed governments and electoral systems in New Zealand and will do so again.
“John Key should give New Zealanders a list of all the promises he’s made. Tell people now which ones he intends to keep, and which promises he intends to break,” says Jim Anderton.
Nats cynical games over Kiwibank sale
03/06/10 15:33 Filed in: News Releases
“John Key is guilty of the worst kind of cynical politics. He changes his mind depending on where the votes are before the election, then reverts back to his original position once in government,” says Jim Anderton MP for Wigram and Progressive Party leader.
He did this with his broken promises not to sell Kiwibank. In 2008, MPs like Nathan Guy won marginal seats like Otaki by signing a pledge that the National Party would not sell Kiwibank,”
“On August 7 2008 before the election, John Key refused to sign a pledge not to sell Kiwibank. Then when he could see how unpopular that was, he changed his mind and promised multiple times not to sell Kiwibank - ever - if he was elected.
“The National party needed all the votes it could get in the marginal seats, like Otaki.
“That is presumably why Cabinet Minister and National Party MP Nathan Guy did sign the pledge on behalf of the National Party not to initiate a sale of Kiwibank, and he did it in front of hundreds of local people.
“I wonder how those people feel now?”
After he signed the pledge, Nathan Guy won the Otaki seat with a majority of 1354.
“Assuming half those people had decided not to vote for National once they knew that asset sales were going to be back on the agenda (less than 700 votes), those votes probably would have gone to the Labour candidate Darren Hughes. Mr Guy would then not have won that seat.
“John Key’s policy on asset sales changed during the election, and it helped get his government elected. Now the truth is coming out. John Key will sell Kiwibank if he wins another term in government.
“‘Ever - is a short word and a short time in John Key’s world.”
“This is the kind of cynical politics that brings governments down,” says Jim Anderton.
He did this with his broken promises not to sell Kiwibank. In 2008, MPs like Nathan Guy won marginal seats like Otaki by signing a pledge that the National Party would not sell Kiwibank,”
“On August 7 2008 before the election, John Key refused to sign a pledge not to sell Kiwibank. Then when he could see how unpopular that was, he changed his mind and promised multiple times not to sell Kiwibank - ever - if he was elected.
“The National party needed all the votes it could get in the marginal seats, like Otaki.
“That is presumably why Cabinet Minister and National Party MP Nathan Guy did sign the pledge on behalf of the National Party not to initiate a sale of Kiwibank, and he did it in front of hundreds of local people.
“I wonder how those people feel now?”
After he signed the pledge, Nathan Guy won the Otaki seat with a majority of 1354.
“Assuming half those people had decided not to vote for National once they knew that asset sales were going to be back on the agenda (less than 700 votes), those votes probably would have gone to the Labour candidate Darren Hughes. Mr Guy would then not have won that seat.
“John Key’s policy on asset sales changed during the election, and it helped get his government elected. Now the truth is coming out. John Key will sell Kiwibank if he wins another term in government.
“‘Ever - is a short word and a short time in John Key’s world.”
“This is the kind of cynical politics that brings governments down,” says Jim Anderton.
John Key promised not to sell Kiwibank 'ever'
02/06/10 16:17 Filed in: News Releases
John Key made a clear undertaking before the last general election, that there would never be a sale of Kiwibank, even if National won a further term in government, says Jim Anderton MP for Wigram and Progressive Party leader.
“Since the Budget, the government has said its promise not to sell Kiwibank was only good for its first term. But on several occasions before the election, John Key personally insisted that the promise was permanent.
The Dominion Post after TV3 leaders debate 4 November 2008
John Key answers readers’ questions in The Dominion Post 22 October 2008:
“You made a statement on television that your government if elected will not sell Kiwibank in its first term of office. Does that mean that you do intend selling Kiwibank eventually?” (Carol Aldridge, Porirua)
‘I am ruling out selling Kiwibank at any point in the future.’ John Key
The Dominion Post 4 November 2008, following TV3 leaders' debate – 5 days before the election:
“Mr Key said he would not sell Kiwibank - and when asked if that meant ‘ever’ responded: ‘No, I’ve ruled it out’.”
The Press 4 November 2008
“John Key ruled out National selling Kiwibank at any stage ‘never....we’ve ruled it out.’”
Jim Anderton says: “John Key’s current position on Kiwibank is a broken promise. If he had used the weasel words he is now using in answer to these questions during the election campaign, the issue would have turned into a major campaign fiasco for National. He said one thing to get elected and now he is saying something else. That is flat out untrustworthy.
“Shares in Kiwibank should not be floated because it’s doing a great job. It’s making money, and because we own it, those profits go straight back into the New Zealand economy. John Key needs to come clean and tell us - did he mislead the electorate or is this another policy U-turn?” says Jim Anderton.
“Since the Budget, the government has said its promise not to sell Kiwibank was only good for its first term. But on several occasions before the election, John Key personally insisted that the promise was permanent.
The Dominion Post after TV3 leaders debate 4 November 2008
John Key answers readers’ questions in The Dominion Post 22 October 2008:
“You made a statement on television that your government if elected will not sell Kiwibank in its first term of office. Does that mean that you do intend selling Kiwibank eventually?” (Carol Aldridge, Porirua)
‘I am ruling out selling Kiwibank at any point in the future.’ John Key
The Dominion Post 4 November 2008, following TV3 leaders' debate – 5 days before the election:
“Mr Key said he would not sell Kiwibank - and when asked if that meant ‘ever’ responded: ‘No, I’ve ruled it out’.”
The Press 4 November 2008
“John Key ruled out National selling Kiwibank at any stage ‘never....we’ve ruled it out.’”
Jim Anderton says: “John Key’s current position on Kiwibank is a broken promise. If he had used the weasel words he is now using in answer to these questions during the election campaign, the issue would have turned into a major campaign fiasco for National. He said one thing to get elected and now he is saying something else. That is flat out untrustworthy.
“Shares in Kiwibank should not be floated because it’s doing a great job. It’s making money, and because we own it, those profits go straight back into the New Zealand economy. John Key needs to come clean and tell us - did he mislead the electorate or is this another policy U-turn?” says Jim Anderton.