Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Maori Affairs Spokesman

10 February 2004

Is it the end of the line for the Treaty gravy train?

"There must be one law for all New Zealanders regardless of race, and National will be pleased to support Winston Peters' Treaty principles bill to select committee," says National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee.

"At Orewa last year, Don Brash signalled National's intention to remove divisive race-based clauses from legislation.

"We're delighted that Parliament now has the opportunity to discuss the 'principles', which are scattered like confetti through our statutes.

"This bill will expose the Labour Party's duplicit dealings with the public over Treaty matters and the ineptitude of Race Relations Minister Trevor Mallard who has refused to get on top of this problem. "Only at the weekend, the Deputy Prime Minister repeated Labour's view that it sees no end in sight to the Treaty grievance process.

"National expects all historical Treaty claims to be filed by the end of 2006, with 2010 the deadline for settlements.

"New Zealand cannot move ahead if it is constantly looking in the rear vision mirror. Labour continues to inject the 'principles' into our laws, even though it can't tell us what they actually mean.

"Only National can deliver real change," says Mr Brownlee.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage