Key says the economy main election issue

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: State asset sales will not be a defining issue during this year's election because there will not be any, says the National Party.

Leader John Key has ruled out any full or partial sale of state-owned enterprises or Crown-owned companies in the party's first three years if it wins the election.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Helen Clark told Labour Party supporters that asset sales would be "a defining issue".

Mr Key says the economy rather than asset sales will be the critical question of the election, given that interest rates have doubled under the Labour government.

Miss Clark says it is difficult to work out exactly what Mr Key means by his asset sale statement.

She says it is not clear whether there is no long-term plan, no preliminary work to be done, or whether National will spend a term preparing to sell assets in the future.

But Mr Key says there are no plans for preparatory work on asset sales during a first term. He says National will retain ownership of Toll's rail services if the Government buys them before the election.

But if the deal is not concluded, National would not buy the services.

 

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