Face of the Day

National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis has brushed off comments made by former Prime Minister John Key about her supermarket policy.

John Key told the Post on Sunday that he’s not sure if National’s plan to split up Foodstuffs is the ‘right solution’ to New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly.

“Is that the right solution? I don’t know, but I yeah, I think in the end, governments have to try and address what they think are the issues of the day,” he said.

Asked about the comments on Monday, leader Christopher Luxon said he hadn’t seen them, but Key is “entitled to say what he wants to say”.

His deputy had more to say.

“I don’t reckon he’s read the cost-benefit analysis yet, so I’ll have to make sure I forward my old mate John a copy,” Willis said.

“I doubt there are many New Zealanders who have read the full cost-benefit analysis we commissioned by Sense Partners. It is a dense economic document, but John Key is a very smart man, so I encourage him to give it a read.”

Stuff