By AUDREY YOUNG
Labour is taking the Alliance's cooperation for granted, says Alliance director Matt McCarten.
"I think the Alliance is doing more than its share of being extremely cooperative with Labour."
Mr McCarten said he had been giving Labour a message on Thursday when he spoke of Alliance MPs being "too cooperative" and party leader Jim Anderton being "too patient."
"I feel Labour hasn't quite matured in the sense that it hasn't got used to the idea that both parties have to be able to do their job.
"We have been the ones that have taken our role very seriously and Labour, to a certain extent, has taken that for granted."
Mr McCarten would not give examples, but there is known to be some disquiet within the Alliance about Mr Anderton's fronting the West Coast logging issue so strongly when it was seen as a predominantly Labour issue.
The Coalition's management committee will meet for the first time on Wednesday, and Mr McCarten is likely to raise strategic concerns.
The Alliance's support slipped as soon as it became part of the Government and it polled only 2.4 per cent in the latest One News-Colmar Brunton poll.
But Mr Anderton has dismissed any suggestion that his party might merge with Labour.
His rebuff came yesterday after the issue was raised on the television programme Face the Nation.
Alliance warns Labour on roles
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