Scoop  Politics

Don Brash: NZ First voters betrayed by Peters

Many who voted for New Zealand First with their party vote will feel deeply betrayed, Hobson’s Pledge spokesman Don Brash said today.

“Before the election, Mr Peters said that one of his ‘bottom lines’ in any negotiations to form a government would be holding a binding referendum open to all New Zealand voters on whether to retain the Maori electorates,” he said.

“But the Labour/NZ First coalition agreement, which has a huge amount of detail in it, has not a trace of anything which could be interpreted as relevant to his commitment on the referendum, the Resource Management Act, or Treaty issues more generally,” he said.

“Over many years, Mr Peters has stressed his commitment to treating all New Zealanders as equal before the law,” Dr Brash said.

“Indeed, in the context of a discussion about the iwi participation agreements written into the amendment to the Resource Management Act by the National-led Government, Mr Peters told me that in his view racial preference was the most important single issue facing the country at present,” he said.

"Yet the coalition agreement between Labour and New Zealand First is entirely silent, both on the referendum and on the wider issue,” Dr Brash said.

“Betrayed” is certainly not too strong a word to describe how many New Zealand First voters will be feeling, he said.

Hobson's Pledge Trust - http://www.hobsonspledge.nz/

ENDS

© Scoop Media

 

Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Government: Northland To Move To Orange, NZ Prepared For Omicron

Northland will move to Orange at 11:59pm tonight, 20 January 2022, while the rest of New Zealand will remain at Orange as the Government prepares for Omicron to enter the community.
“Vaccination rates have continued to increase in Northland and are now at 89 percent first dose. The easing of the Auckland boundary over summer did not drive an increase in cases so we believe it is safe for Northland...
More>>

ALSO:

• National - Labour Has No Plan For Omicron
• ACT - No Plan For Omicron – Just Crickets

Gordon Campbell: On Responding To The Need In Tonga

The power of the Tonga eruption (and the size of the aid response being mounted) have been sobering indications of the scale of this disaster. The financial impact is certain to exceed the damage done by Cyclone Harold two years ago, which was estimated at the time to cost $US111 million via its effects on crops, housing and tourism facilities. This time, the tsunami damage, volcanic ash, sulphur dioxide contamination and villager relocation expenses are likely to cost considerably more to meet...
More>>