National will not sell off assets in first term

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The National Party says it will not sell any state-owned enterprises or Crown-owned companies in its first term, if it wins the next election.

National's leader John Key made the announcement a day after Prime Minister Helen Clark told Labour supporters that asset sales is a defining issue.

National has previously talked about the possibility of selling partial stakes in some state assets.

But Mr Key says the sale of state assets is not necessary, and is ruling out total or partial sell-offs in a first term of Government.

He says New Zealand does not have a debt problem, it has a growth problem.

Mr Key says he is not interested in being distracted by tired old debates that achieve nothing, and there are more important areas for National to direct its energies toward.

Miss Clark says National's position is laughable, and it would spend a first term working on preparing assets for sale, then get down to business in a second term.