A handful of noisy young Labour protesters followed me around on my visit to Dunedin yesterday.

They waited outside the café I visited to announce National's policy on the state sector. [video coming]

I believe everyone has the right to protest and state their view, which is what these young people did.

They spouted all the usual Labour propaganda and misinformation about me and National's policies, not only outside the café but also at the airport when I was leaving.

But one thing they said does deserve a response - and that is their claim that National intends to sell assets.

One of them even started running a fake auction outside the café.

That would be fine if it were true, but it's not.

One of the guarantees on my "key commitments" card is not to sell Kiwibank or any other state-owned company. If that ever changes, we'd campaign at a future election and let the voters decide.

Secondly, earlier this week I released our plan to invest at least 40 per cent of the NZ Super Fund's capital in New Zealand. This more hands-on approach is so we can invest more of that fund in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

These policies are about growing our asset base - not selling it. That is what the protesters don't get. I'm sure my argument won't persuade them, which is a pity.

One other thing: we want to be more than a one-term government.

One sure way of only being a one-term government is by breaking your word, and I have no intention of breaking my word.

John Key

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National Headlines: Keeping you up to date

Better value from your taxes 

National Party Leader John Key says an incoming National-led Government will treat every dollar it spends as carefully as householders do when they're totting up the weekly budget.

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Govt retracts false health figures - cover-up continues 

"The Government's decision to retract the false elective surgery figures released by David Cunliffe does little to clear the suspicious fog hanging over these election-year stats," says National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall.

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Labour has super cuts on its books
 
"Labour continues to avoid any commitment to keeping the floor for national superannuation at 66% of the average wage," says National Party Finance spokesman Bill English.

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Hot water cylinders also on nanny state hit list 
"Regulations limiting the size of home hot water cylinders are another unnecessary and unworkable interference in people's lives," says National's Building & Construction spokesman, Nick Smith.

16 October, Dunedin. 22 days to go. At Dunedin's Cafe Rue John talks informally with a group of local business people and Party supporters invited by departing MP Katherine Rich about the global economic crisis, National's proposed responses and the crucial nature of economic decision making over the coming months and years. He also talks about the demonstrators that followed him around Dunedin during this visit and some of the misunderstandings that informed their protest - particularly on asset sales and National's Superfund initiative (see today's blog for more on that). John then announces today's policy initiative on controlling the size and efficiency of State Services - about cutting waste to provide more money for front-line services. Finally, John acknowledges the tremendous service Katherine Rich has done for the National Party. The National Party, he says, is not a collection of people working all from the same internal script but has room for a wide range of opinion and thought. "The National Party's not about every single person agreeing on every single issue .... Katherine's brought a real liberal thinking to [the caucus] and that's been a great thing for us."