PM hits back with blast at Green ally

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

Under mounting pressure from the "Corngate" inquiry, the Prime Minister rounded on Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons yesterday, accusing her of plotting with the National Party.

Ms Fitzsimons chairs the parliamentary select committee conducting the inquiry and joined National in an attempt to make Helen Clark give evidence.

The Prime Minister says the incident has seriously damaged the Government's relations with the Greens.

She accused Ms Fitzsimons of colluding with National MP Nick Smith, a fellow committee member, in a smear campaign.

The inquiry into Corngate - the Government's response to a consignment of cornseed allegedly contaminated by genetically modified grain - comes as a GM moratorium is about to expire.

On Thursday, Ms Fitzsimons voted with Opposition MPs on the local government and environment select committee to call the Prime Minister to give evidence.

The move was voted down by the five Labour MPs and one United Future MP on the committee.

Yesterday, Helen Clark said Ms Fitzsimons was "well aware" she had nothing to offer the inquiry.

"I sometimes wonder whether I'm a victim of my own success as a popular and competent Prime Minister. I do not control everything. I did not run this issue."

She said allegations against her last week were "all about the leadup to the end of the moratorium".

"It's all about generating as much dust as possible on the subject, not about generating light on it."

She said prospects of a Greens-Labour coalition were "rather dismal", and described the situation as "very curious".

"We have a National MP who now appears to be casting doubts on the ending of the moratorium when his party's policy is understood to be full steam ahead, so we get very curious alliances.

"And I suggest to you what binds these people together is the desire to smear the Prime Minister and the Government. This is desperate stuff."

But Ms Fitzsimons said she and Dr Smith did not have common goals, and she was sad if the relationship between Labour and the Greens had become personalised.

"He is trying to damage the Prime Minister.

"I am not interested in trying to damage the Prime Minister. I'm interested in getting the facts and trying to make sure that New Zealand has the most robust system to protect ourselves."

Ms Fitzsimons said the whole issue was a diversion from the real question - the imminent release of GM organisms.

The Prime Minister's attack coincided with the release of another select committee's report recommending the passage of the New Organisms and Other Matters Bill.