Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
9 NOVEMBER 2016

FORKED TONGUE FROM SMITH ON RMA DEAL

The deal between the government and the Maori Party to push the RMA changes through is a disaster for New Zealand in the 21st century, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“It’s a sell out and a compromise, forcing parallel control on this country in its planning and consent laws.

“The government will be allowing involvement of separate, unelected decision makers on civil authorities based on race.

“That we are going forward in this way is difficult to comprehend. National should be ashamed of handing such a legacy to this country.

“Obviously, it is contentious, why else would this be announced when this country is absorbed in the knife-edge American presidential election?

“They hope their forked tongue announcement will get lost in the election results.

“Since my Orewa speech on 26 January, New Zealand First has repeatedly offered to the government our 12-votes to secure major RMA reform. Our price for that support is simple and that is for reform to be based upon the principle of one law for all.

“National has chosen Iwi over Kiwi and even then the Maori Party has said its support at any third-reading is not guaranteed because its confident is can get more concessions from National.

“Not a single New Zealander, non-Maori or Maori has come to us and said “Mr Peters, we need to give rights over water to Maori” or “Mr Peters, we are too unified as a country, we need more separatism,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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