Media Release
28 January 2004

Brash Leap Backwards Over Race Relations

Rt Hon Winston Peters has described Don Brash’s “state of the nation speech” as a mixture of political plagiarism heavily laced with unhealthy desperation.

Mr Peters said that New Zealanders saw the new National Party leader for what he was on the Ratana Marae at the weekend – a stuffy sort of colonial tea planter trying to put native servants in their place.

“Don Brash lives in another place and another time. His condescending attitude is more suited to the British rule in India or Malaysia a century ago.

“New Zealand First believes totally in the concept of one rule for all and that all New Zealanders are equal. We have been saying so for many years but we do not believe in rubbing the noses of Maori in the dirt and dismissing their genuine concerns.

“We also want to remind National that it fostered and nurtured separatist legislation throughout its time in government and it is a bit rich for Dr Brash to suddenly suffer political amnesia.

“National is a party of very few ideas and even fewer principles. It is hard to see them ever leading a government in New Zealand again,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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