Kiwis have chips on both flaps

[Wirraway]

Sat "The Australian"

Kiwis have chips on both flaps
By Claire Harvey
18jan03

STRANGE things are happening across the Tasman. A Kiwi has accused his compatriots of being "irrationally" anti-Australian.

Most New Zealanders are proud in their loathing of "Aussie" and all that it represents -- from the sporting field to the spat over which nation actually invented the pavlova.

But Finance Minister Michael Cullen says it has all gone too far.

Kiwis are being unfair in their resistance to a proposed merger between Qantas and Air New Zealand, Mr Cullen said in an opinion article published in yesterday's Dominion Post newspaper.

"Sadly much of the anti-Australian invective seems to reflect an inferiority complex," Mr Cullen wrote.

"The Government cannot decide this issue on opinion polls, or succumb to irrational anti-Australian sentiment which seems to be informing much of the public debate," he said, adding there was nothing sinister in a Qantas proposal to put two representatives on the Air New Zealand board.

"I am nonplussed by the assumption of many New Zealanders that if there are two Australian directors on the Air New Zealand board, they will somehow surround the eight New Zealand board members and whip the hell out of them," he wrote.

"The Qantas nominees will not have the power to veto board decisions, and the Air New Zealand board will retain absolute authority over Air New Zealand."

Last year's announcement of the planned merger sparked outrage from politicians, business leaders and average Kiwis, who rushed to the phone to tell talkback shock-jocks the deal was an evil Australian plot to crush another local icon.

"The kangaroo pockets another Kiwi," Opposition leader Bill English thundered.

Yesterday, Mr English denied he -- or any other New Zealander -- was motivated by hatred of Australia.

"Not on this issue," Mr English said. "The opposition to this deal is based on a loss of competition. Fares will go up and the travelling public are going to have to pay."

Mr Cullen and the Government were pandering to Australia, Mr English said.

"The current Government has really gone out of their way to help the Australian Government when they've wanted it.

"They've taken Australia's refugees, caved in on welfare issues and now this deal. I've got no idea why.

"Whenever the Australian Government has wanted help, this Government has stepped in."

A leading opponent of the deal, businessman Lloyd Morrison, said Mr Cullen's accusation was unfair.

"I think that's a cop-out by Mr Cullen," Mr Morrison said. "It's a convenient, inflammatory argument. In fact, Qantas has a better reception in New Zealand than most other places in the world but the best way to get service out of Qantas is to make them compete."