Where are Labour's Treaty Policies Taking Us?

In a speech to Auckland Central Rotary today, ACT Leader Richard Prebble said the successive Treaty policies of both Labour and National governments are at fault.

"Where is the democratic mandate for successive governments' Treaty policies? The electorate has never been able to vote on this issue. Successive Treaty policies have failed because they have lacked a buy-in from the public including Maori. A majority of Maori have never accepted the premises of the race-based policies that Maori cannot succeed with out special assistance", Mr Prebble told the meeting.

"The lack of a say on government policy is why Don Brash's speech last month was so important.

"For the first time there is a clear choice. Don Brash put forward a vision of New Zealand where every citizen is treated on the basis of need not race.

"As Don Brash has discovered, if you question Labour's Maori policy you are branded as a red neck and accused of playing the race card. Welcome to the club. It is a deliberate strategy to prevent intelligent debate.

"Helen Clark is already telling media she is not willing to debate the issues that Don Brash has raised and instead keeps saying he is being divisive. As if in some way Labour's policies were uniting us.

"The question now is, where is Labour taking us?"

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