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Ikaroa Rawhiti Maori Party candidate Derek Fox has compared Helen Clarke to Robert Mugabe and labelled the foreshore and seabed legislation "fascist".

Mr Fox's comments came during a fiery exchange between Mr Fox and his opponent Parekura Horomia in a TVNZ 7 Swing Seats debate in Gisborne on Thursday night.

"It's a very fascist sort of bit of legislation isn't it? If it says you can't possibly go back and look at it again. The reality is if we look at the foreshore and seabed legislation, if Robert Mugabe did what Helen Clark and Parekura Horomia did, Helen Clarke would be jumping up and down all over the place at the United Nations," he said.

Mr Fox assured audience members from local iwi that his party would fight to repeal the foreshore and seabed act if they hold the kingmaker position in the next government.

"I have no doubt in my mind that we have to move to repeal it."

Mr Horomia said he was tough enough to take the flack from Mr Fox and claimed the legislation would save Maori huge legal costs and ensure their rights under law.

" What we also leaned in this country is the lawyers and the legal trough have sucked off Maori for a long long time and what I'm clear on is ensuring the rights are in legislation for the Maori because they're not.

Minister Opposes His Own Government On School Buses.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia says he opposes the Government decision to tender off the running of school buses in the regions to a nationwide bus company.

His comments came during a TVNZ 7 Swing Seats debate from Gisborne when Mr Parekura came under fire for his party's role in the move, which opponents claim would mean job losses for local companies.

"I disagree with it, but it is about a commercial tender-now if we say we interfere as ministers commercially because Ming don't do that, and I disagree with it, I'm saying that on this show."

His opponent in the Ikaroa Rawhiti Maori seat, Maori Party candidate, Derek Fox slammed the move, claiming it showed Labour's lack of concern for Maori business.

"An uncaring Government doesn't give a damn about small communities, insists on big government, so you have people completely out of control, that we will tender off the bus service in the North Island, go to a bus company based in Hamilton, that's got a shoddy reputation for poor payment and mistreating its workforce."

ENDS

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