Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton is amazed that Bill English is promising National would help small businesses if they got anywhere near Government.

“After spending nine years destroying businesses, National now wants people to believe they will help them.

“After presiding over the Resource Management Act for nine years National now think it needs to be changed.

“National opposed all measures our Coalition Government took to start up economic, industry and regional development.

“Under this Coalition Government, 81 innovative companies have received a total of $6.6 million in Business Growth Grants and there have been 522 Enterprise Awards totalling $4.6 million. None of this would have happened under National.

“Under National, businesses, regions and industries were in decline.

“The best way that Bill English can help businesses is to continue running his lackluster campaign which is dooming them to electoral defeat,” said Jim Anderton.