29 May 2006

Don Brash MP National Party Leader

Brash rubbishes claims he's bagging NZ

National Party Leader Don Brash has today rubbished Labour's claims that he is bagging New Zealand by highlighting Australia's far more attractive tax system.

In a speech to the Rotary Club of Auckland, Dr Brash slams Helen Clark and other Labour MPs for their continued attacks on him since the Budget's failure to deliver badly needed tax cuts.

In the speech, Dr Brash rejects the charge he's being disloyal to New Zealand.

"I am passionately committed to New Zealand. I'm a fervent nationalist. But I'm not a blind nationalist. And I'm not xenophobic," he says.

"Warning fellow Kiwis that we'll be in serious trouble if we continue down the path we're being led by this Labour Government doesn't make me unpatriotic.

"Warning fellow Kiwis that unless we change direction, our grandchildren will grow up cheering for the Wallabies doesn't make me unpatriotic either."

He attacked Labour's continuing refusal to let Kiwis spend their own money in the way they wished by way of tax cuts.

"How patriotic is it to spend the money taken from taxpayers to buy your way back into office rather than do anything constructive to narrow the gap between our living standards and those in Australia, as Helen Clark did last year?

"How patriotic is it to tolerate a situation where more and more of our young people feel obliged to look abroad for the sake of their families' future?

"How patriotic is it to do nothing while Australia makes it more and more attractive for companies to move across the Tasman?

"How patriotic is it to keep right on fostering a perception that Maori New Zealanders have rights which are in some way different from - and superior to - those enjoyed by other New Zealanders?

"I resigned as Governor of the Reserve Bank just over four years ago because I was deeply concerned about where we were heading under this Labour Government. I am even more concerned now."

ENDS

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