Brian Connell National Commerce Spokesperson

10 December 2003

Where's Nosey?

"If anybody runs into the MP for Otago, Mr David Parker, tell him he should have been standing up and being counted for the people he represents instead of hiding," says Brian Connell, MP for Rakaia & Buddy MP for Aoraki.

"When one of the most significant issues for Otago and South Canterbury was debated in Parliament today, Mr Parker was nowhere to be seen.

"Project Aqua, under the guise of the Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill is a project designed to channel 73% of the water from the Waitaki river for electricity generation."

"It is an emotionally charged and complex issue. Mr Parker should have been debating the issues and demonstrating some leadership. Instead he let his colleagues take the heat as they try and rush this legislation through Parliament under cover of Christmas."

"This is a tough issue which has caused divisions among the people of Otago and South Canterbury. Mr Parker is paid to deal with the tough issues and maybe this is an indication that he is not the right man for the people of Otago."

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The Government's Assault On Maori

This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that Luxon plans to roll back the progress made here over the past 40 years in race relations... More