Act must perform, Banks says

Act New Zealand leader John Banks took a ''stand'' in Dunedin on Saturday.

Mr Banks spoke to 18 people at the party's conference at The Mercure Leisure Lodge.

''You are here in Dunedin today because you believe in the values of the Act party,'' he told them.

The success of the 2014 election depended on where Act stood on those values, Mr Banks said.

''We stand against heavy tax burdens.''

Act also stood against red tape, overlegislation by government, privilege and entitlement.

''We stand for the dignity of the individual.''

Act also stood for free trade, price stability, smaller government and lower taxes and equal citizenship.

He described the Resource Management Act as a ''900-page job-destroying machine,'' that promised simplicity and freeing-up of development but delivered little and created unaffordable housing.

Act New Zealand's Partnership Schools policy was making excellent progress and would open in the first school term of 2014.

''Sadly, the education establishment and the teachers' unions continue their campaign against Partnership Schools.''

Mr Banks said his 15th election campaign was about rebuilding, retooling and redefining Act's messages.

''It's critical to centre-right politics that we do well, because, if we don't do well, then there is likely to be a change of government.''

He was happy with the small crowd that came to hear him speak.

''It is quality that is more important than quantity.''

Other speakers included Act president John Boscawen, Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson, Scenic South member Guy McCallum and IT business owner Daniel Beer.

Mr Banks asked Mr Beer to explain the allegations the US Government made against Kim Dotcom about copyright violations.

Later, when asked, Mr Banks said his relationship with Kim Dotcom was focused on because he had won the Epsom electorate, which had made him a target of the media.

-shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz