Key arrogant in belittling Canterbury protesters

new-zealand-labour-party

Fri Jul 02 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Key arrogant in belittling Canterbury protesters

Friday, 2 July 2010, 12:48 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

**Key arrogant in belittling Canterbury protesters
**
Canterbury people won’t forget Prime Minister John Key’s arrogant put-down of them yesterday when they protested at being stripped of their right to have a democratic say in local water issues, says Labour Water spokesperson and Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns.

“His sneering response to the protest was quite in keeping with the disdain his government is showing for local government democracy in Canterbury,” Brendon Burns said.

“To refer to the protestors as ‘a pack of trainees’ is a nasty insult.

“It shows he doesn’t care about the rights of Canterbury people to have a say in the way water allocations are made in the province.

“Last month 3000 people rallied in the Square demanding the government hear Canterbury's concerns about the loss of control over our water supplies. The rally was addressed by church, farming, youth and recreation leaders. John Key is clearly laughing at their concerns,” Brendon Burns said.

“That’s why he is not even bothering to try to explain how National plans to stop greater pollution of Canterbury rivers and streams when more intensive dairying takes place as a result of the new water schemes he wants put in place next year.

“Canterbury people don’t like being told their views aren’t important.”

ENDS

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