23 Nov 2011

National reveals immediate priorities

12:31 pm on 23 November 2011

The first law changes if National was elected for a second term would be to introduce a lower wage for some young workers and privatise the ACC's work account.

National's leader John Key on Wednesday has unveiled the priorities for the party.

They include finalising four-year plans for departmental spending, introducing tougher credit consumer laws and delaying the phasing in of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

National would also start work on its partial asset sales programme, in which it plans to sell up to 49% of four state-owned energy companies and reducing its stake in Air New Zealand.

Mr Key said state-owned company Genesis Energy was likely to be the first of the four to be partially sold if National is in a position to proceed. The others are Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy

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Final days of campaigning

In the final week of the campaign, Mr Key has stepped up his criticisms of the Green Party saying the spending it wants, in particular on an Auckland rail loop, would add $530 million over four years to the debt plan of a Labour-led government.

Greens' co-leader Russel Norman says the party's costings have been taken out of context as savings would be made in other areas, including the cancellation of some major roading projects.

When asked if there was any money for potential support parties post-election, Mr Key said that if National had to give ground in one place, it would have to be made up from somewhere else.

On Thursday, Mr Key takes to the road for a two-day bus tour of the North Island.