Man, isn't she ready to drown him in a teaspoon!
The National Party's rules allow a maximum of five people to stand for the Party on the party list, without standing in an electorate. All other candidates must be on the list and standing in an electorate. Tim is one of the list candidates, and the Board and I agree that he has the potential to make an enormous contribution to New Zealand through being part of a National-led Government.
He has stood down from his position as New Zealand ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), but hopes to continue in his role as chairman of the agriculture committee of the WTO. I certainly support his doing that because of the enormous contribution he can still make in that capacity, not only to New Zealand but to world trade and prosperity more generally. I have made it clear that if, as expected, he wins a seat in Parliament, I am willing to give him leave of absence until his role as chairman of the agriculture committee comes to an end, probably in December this year. And I have agreed that because there is a widespread view among many of the members of that committee that the skills and experience which Tim brings to the committee would be very difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
I have been profoundly disappointed at the way the Labour Government has reacted to this development. After praising him enthusiastically only weeks ago, suddenly he has been accused of traitorous behaviour and being "not our first choice for the job anyway". I suppose it is this kind of petty-minded vindictiveness which gives politicians such a bad name.
How quickly Labour seems to have forgotten that the National Government under Prime Minister Jenny Shipley gave its whole-hearted support to former Labour Prime Minister Mike Moore in his bid to head the WTO in the late nineties. Why? Because Jenny Shipley recognised that New Zealand's interests in a better world trading environment could be advanced by Mike Moore, even though he had been a fierce political opponent. I would have hoped that Helen Clark's Government would have recognised New Zealand's wider interests also.
As you will have seen from today's newspapers, warnings from officials did finally get through. Helen Clark has had to backtrack from her fit of pique and the Government has confirmed Mr Groser in place in the meantime, to try to keep these important trade talks on the road.
And of course there is a precedent for a member of Parliament simultaneously undertaking an international role: Labour MP Hugh Watt took up the position of New Zealand High Commissioner in London on 22 March 1975, but was a member of Parliament until 30 October that year, more than seven months later. And I'd be happy to wager that Mr Watt's contribution to New Zealand during that seven month period was a pale shadow of what Tim Groser could achieve for New Zealand over the next seven months.
Don Brash, May 25 2003