Anderton awaits Brethren support-leaflets any day

Thursday 8 September

Anderton awaits Brethren support-leaflets any day

Jim Anderton says that if the Exclusive Brethren Church is giving half a million dollars to a campaign to promote Don Brash and his party, then in fairness a million-dollar-campaign promoting Progressive must be due to hit letter-boxes any day.

"Progressive is campaigning to protect young teenagers from getting themselves into harm's way by those that would sell alcohol to them for a profit with our Bill to raise the alcohol purchasing age and to control anti-social liquor advertising.

"Progressive's campaign to reduce the harm being caused by alcohol is one that Christians strongly support, yet Don Brash voted against Matt Robson's Bill and tried to get it thrown out of Parliament.

"If Don Brash, who doesn't support meaningful action to protect children and young teenagers against alcohol sellers, is getting a half a million dollar promotion from the Brethrens, then I am sure Progressive can look forward to a million-dollar support campaign by the Exclusive Brethren church to hit peoples' letter-boxes any day," the Progressive leader said.

"Progressive MPs also voted against the law change to liberalize prostitution, a law that was enacted by 60 votes to 59, with Don Brash's one vote in favour proving to be the critical vote to that law change. I wasn't aware that liberalizing prostitution law was a fundamental tenet of the Exclusive Brethren Church, but maybe I am wrong about that," Jim Anderton said.

ENDS