WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER

MEDIA RELEASE

MEREPEKA RESIGNS FROM CHRISTIAN HERITAGE PARTY
Entire Wairarapa Electorate Committee resigns in support

The Deputy Leader of the Christian Heritage Party and candidate for Wairarapa, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, has today resigned from the Party, citing concerns about the lack of financial accountability and un-Christian tactics of Graham Capill.

The entire Wairarapa Electorate Committee has also resigned in support, including Regional President and National Board Member Mike Lloyd, Wairarapa Electorate Chairman Nico Bertram and a number of Foundation Members.

In a resignation letter (attached) signed by Mrs Raukawa-Tait and the entire Wairarapa Electorate Committee, party leader Graham Capill is accused of un-Christian threats and intimidation against Members of CHP who have questioned the party’s lack of financial accountability.

“Graham Capill and CHP Party President Bob Pierson have attempted to intimidate members of the party – these people are my friends and I won’t stand for it,” Mrs Raukawa-Tait said.

“The rank and file members of the party are great people, but the leadership is a disgrace. People who have been loyal party members for years deserve to be treated with respect rather than threatened – it’s un-Christian,”

The resignation letter says that there is a lack of financial accountability and scrutiny within Christian Heritage, and that Graham Capill and his Executive have used unlawful tactics to attempt to intimidate and “punish” Wairarapa members for speaking out against wrongdoing by the leadership.

“The Wairarapa Electorate team got the best result in the history of CHP and they deserve better – thuggery and threats will not work on us,” Mrs Raukawa-Tait said.

ENDS - LETTER FOLLOWS

**************************

WAIRARAPA ELECTORATE COMMITTEE

26 November 2002

Mr Graham Capill
Christian Heritage Party
PO Box 5208
Papanui
Christchurch

Dear Mr Capill,

It is with regret that we the undersigned tender our resignations as members of the Christian Heritage Party.

After many years of loyal service we are disappointed that we have no option but to sever all ties with an organisation which we have served to the best of our abilities.

While we remain committed to the ideal of Christian involvement in politics, the protection of New Zealand families and the promotion of decent values in our society, we feel that the Christian Heritage Party under the present leadership no longer honours God’s word.

After much prayer and deliberation, we have decided that the behaviour of Graham Capill, Party President Bob Pierson and others has left us with no choice but to dissociate ourselves from the Party. Specifically, we have been driven to our decision by the following:

1. The fact that the leadership of the Party is no longer conducting itself according to Christian principles of decency and integrity.

2. The lack of adequate scrutiny and accountability of the Party’s finances. The name of Our Lord Jesus Christ is being blasphemously misused for fundraising to further the worldly interests of a few people.

3. The fact that funds raised in the name of Merepeka Raukawa-Tait and the Wairarapa Electorate Committee have been wrongly retained by Head Office.

4. Graham Capill’s and Bob Pierson’s refusal to honour their promises to our Committee that the costs of the election campaign would be covered by the Party. We have committeed considerable amounts of our own time and money to getting Graham Capill elected to Parliament, and are appalled that he is now attempting to break his word at our expense to the amount of $13,000.00.

5. Graham Capill’s and Bob Pierson’s un-Christian and unlawful behaviour in attempting to falsely transfer nearly $3,000.00 from Head Office’s Telecom bill onto Merepeka Raukawa-Tait’s cellphone account. Bob Pierson advised us on 1st November that this was “done to punish you [the Wairarapa Committee]”. It is only Christian principles that have prevented us from taking this matter to the lawful authorities for prosecution.

6. Graham Capill’s repeated and malicious attacks on our Committee, collectively and individually, including bearing false witness against our Chairman Nico Bertram by making untrue allegations against him to his Pastor, personal and un-Christian attacks on other Members, and attempted threats and intimidation.

7. Graham Capill’s and Bob Pierson’s false accusations against our candidate Merepeka Raukawa-Tait regarding her Electoral Expenditure and Income Return to the Chief Electoral Office, when in fact this Return was on time, complied with the law, and was only hindered by Head Office’s malicious refusal to provide the information we needed.

8. The repeated and un-Christian attempts to intimidate us with threats of defamation actions, expulsion from the Party, the withholding of promised payment for campaign-related bills, and other unlawful measures to attempt to enforce our silence over wrongdoing by the Party leadership.

We remain devoted to the ideal of Christians in politics, and are determined to continue as a group committed to each other and to the promotion of God’s Word. If anything the behaviour of Graham Capill, Bob Pierson and others has reinforced our commitment to each other and has given us an unbreakable determination to persevere.

We pray that you will amend your ways and conduct yourself according to Christian principles in the future, as you certainly have not done in the past.

Yours in Christ’s service,

MEREPEKA RAUKAWA-TAIT MIKE LLOYD
Deputy Leader of the Party Regional President
Candidate for Wairarapa National Board Member

NICO BERTAM DENE CONSTABLE
Wairarapa Electorate Chairman Wairarapa Electorate Treasurer
(MRS) BETH HALL (MRS) JUDY OMUNDSEN
Foundation Party Member
BARRY HALL (MRS) SUE LLOYD
Foundation Party Member
(MRS) MARIE HALL (MRS) JULIE PAGET

HARRY LANGHAM

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