Heather Roy

Labour has torpedoed any chance of passing its own State-Owned Enterprises Private Member’s Bill before even submitting it in the ballot by continuing to filibuster the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill says ACT New Zealand Tertiary Education Spokesman Hon Heather Roy.

“Labour has shot itself in the foot,” Mrs Roy said. “Labour MPs have been wasting over $450,000 of taxpayers’ money every hour by delaying non-controversial Bills ahead of the VSM Bill and in doing so have barred all MPs across the House the right to have their Bills debated.

“Now, ironically, Clayton Cosgrove’s State-Owned Enterprises and Crown Entities (Protecting New Zealand's Strategic Assets) Amendment Bill – another election year gimmick from Labour – has no chance of reaching the House unless Labour stops their petty delaying tactics.

“This is a big test of what is more important for Labour – guaranteed income for student associations to push their political barrow or saving SOEs from the ‘big, bad private sector’ bogeyman. Either way it is hardly an inspiring set of priorities for a Party trying to convince the electorate it is ready to govern,” Mrs Roy said.