Brash - Five Point Plan For National

In his first general debate speech as National Party Leader, Don Brash has underlined his five point plan for the main Opposition Party.

"There is a mood for change and this spin doctoring Labour minority Government is failing miserably to recognise this.

"My commitment to New Zealanders as Leader of the National Party is to deliver on five key goals:

* We have to start narrowing the gap between our living standards and those of our cousins in Australia, a gap which sees every Australian getting nearly $200 per week more than the average New Zealander.

* We have to ensure every child leaves school able to read and write, no matter what their parents' income or where in the country they are.

* For the sake of those receiving it and those paying for it we have to end the creeping paralysis of welfare dependency. As a country we spend $20 million a day on social welfare, nearly a million dollars an hour, 365 days every year.

* We need to head off the dangerous drift to racial separatism and deal fairly and finally with historical grievances. We must ensure all New Zealanders are treated equally before the law.

* And we need to ensure all New Zealanders feel secure. That means not just dealing firmly with crime, drugs, gangs and vandalism, but also making sure that our relationships with new friends in Asia and old friends in Australia, the UK and the US are put on a firm footing.

"I am not interested in trading personal insults with the Prime Minister or members of her Government," says Dr Brash.

"I am not interested in sarcasm.

"I am interested in, and indeed desperately worried about, New Zealand's future.

"I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure the future holds prosperity, racial harmony, security and hope for every New Zealander," Dr Brash says.

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