ACT's Independence

ACT leader Rodney Hide clears up a few misunderstandings.

There’s been a bit of comment on my blog about ACT propping up Labour—of all things.

ACT is propping up no one. We have not given any party a vote on confidence and supply. That would require a commitment from any party to what ACT stands for and our policies.

We did agree to look at the Therapeutic Goods Bill when the Prime Minister asked us to. We looked at it. We spoke to policy experts. We spoke to industry representatives. We still didn’t like it. We explained how it could be improved to promote competition and choice. WE DIDN"T VOTE FOR IT.

Of course, we talk to other parties and consider their proposals—but we stick to our principles.

That compares to, say, National who said they would vote for Winston’s amendment to the Bill without seeing it, voted for the anti-smacking Bill (after opposing it), and voted with the government to rip private property rights off Telecom investors, and over turn the right to justice for New Zealanders by voting for the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

Not ACT. We stick to our principles—private property, the right to contract, and the freedom to choose.

Hear, hear.