Main parties target Greens in NZ election campaign
Date: 02-Jul-02
Country: NEW ZEALAND
The Greens, who supported Prime Minister Helen Clark's centre-left government on key issues and are currently polling third, have made the permanent banning of genetically modified organisms (gmos) a key election issue and a condition for supporting any government.
Clark said the Greens had gone too far with their threat to topple any government that did not accept their gmos policy.
"...that urge to destroy is not only unreasonable but bizarre," she told the campaign rally.
A silent protester brandishing an anti-gmo banner during Clark's speech was ejected from the meeting.
Opposition leader Bill English from the National Party, labelled the Greens gmo policy as "greenmail", and called them marginal fundamentalists.
Polls have indicated centre-right National voters may support Labour, simply to stop the Greens being needed as a coalition partner.
"National and Labour agree on lifting the GE (genetic engineering) moratorium, end of story. That makes the Greens irrelevant," English said.
Clark called the election for July 27, about four months before the government's term was due to expire, because of internal rifts in coalition partner the Alliance, and opposition party time wasting which had turned parliament into a farce.
The timing has been widely seen by commentators and opponents as an attempt to capitalise on a commanding lead in the polls.
Labour, seeking a second consecutive term for only the third time in 50 years, has led National by up to 20 percentage points in opinion polls. The latest Reuters four poll moving average has Labour on 53 percent, National on 27 percent the Greens on eight.
Clark spent much of her campaign opening on Labour's record, saying it had delivered on its promises, but had only just started its work in turning around the country.
"What we offer is strong, steady leadership to secure our country's place in the ranks of progressive and advanced nations in the 21st century."
If current polls were mirrored on election day Labour would be able to govern in its own right without the need for minor party support.
Under New Zealand's German style proportional voting system a party must win either a local district seat or five percent of the nationwide vote to be represented.
English offered a tough stand on law and order, and an end to claims by indigenous Maori people for compensation for historic grievances.
