Hide confident of voter support

Rodney Hide

Act leader Rodney Hide is confident voters will elect him in Epsom and deliver a handful of Act MPs for National to form a government and implement tax cuts.

To the 1970s Gary Glitter smash hit Hello! Hello! I'm back again! Mr Hide took the stage at Act's party launch in Auckland yesterday to inject a new message into the party's faltering fortunes.

"Act is back," Mr Hide told about 250 party faithful, begging the question: "Where has Act been?"

Mr Hide said voters had been enjoying National Party leader Don Brash's policies, which were Act policies now they realised that National could not govern on its own.

"The good news from Epsom is the voters have worked it out. They know their votes are very powerful and make a difference between New Zealand getting a National-Act government or a Labour-Green government," Mr Hide said.

Party founder Sir Roger Douglas also noted in a lead-up video to Mr Hide's speech that a government comprising National and New Zealand First would be a lot different from a National-Act government.

Act - polling between 1 and 2 per cent in the polls - faces political oblivion unless Mr Hide wins Epsom.

Mr Hide said winning Epsom and bringing two or three MPs from its party vote entitlement could "make all the difference" for a National-Act government.

"It's as simple as this. By voting for Rodney Hide [in Epsom] they can have me and the Act team in Parliament.

"They get guaranteed tax cuts, and they get their National candidate, Richard Worth, in Parliament as well. It's a no brainer," Mr Hide told the party faithful.

He said National had been a bit slow to get the message even though Labour voters had got the message "loud and clear" from Helen Clark to vote for Mr Worth to stop Act getting back.

So far, Dr Brash has refused to endorse a deal, but is understood to be happy to do so if necessary.

Most of the National Party board is thought to be strongly opposed because similar experiences in the past in Wellington Central and Ohariu-Belmont have had a long-term damaging impact on the local party organisation.

It is a decision the National board will leave until the campaign's final days.

Mr Hide said he would not ask Dr Brash for a deal: "I hope the National Party realise they are going to need a supporting party and there are indications they will ... It is never too late."

National's finance spokesman and Helensville MP, John Key, who lives in Epsom, said yesterday that he would be giving his electorate vote to Mr Worth.

Mr Key would not comment on National doing a deal with Act, saying it was a matter for Dr Brash and the party's management team.

Mr Hide said that if Act formed a government with National, the top personal tax rate would come down quicker in the first budget and the company tax rate would drop immediately.

"Don Brash and [finance spokesman] John Key have both said they would like to do it quicker. With Act they will," Mr Hide said.

"Nothing in this [Act] agenda is radical or involves painful choice ... It is in line with the slogan of prosperous Hong Kong: Big market, small government."

Act's promises

* A cut in personal and business tax rates to 25c, with a 15c rate for incomes up to $38,000.

* A taxpayer bill of rights to cap Government spending.

* Scrap New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy to angle for a free-trade agreement with the United States.

* Time limits on welfare.

* Allow parents to send their children to a school of their choice.