Confusion Over Pamphlet Policy In National Party
Did Don Brash Lie To His Deputy Leader & Paul Holmes, OR Didn't Gerry Brownlee Ask Him?
Scoop Team Coverage with - 95bfm.co.nz & Hard News/ publicddress.net
95bFM AUDIO: http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/0509/bfmdon.m3u
95bFM’s Noelle McCarthy interviews Don Brash over the Brethren-National link
Quicklinks
Listen to clip - Download(81k) - This morning, when interviewed on Auckland's BFM, National Leader Dr Don Brash confirmed that he had met with the
Exclusive Brethren who are behind an anti-Labour and anti-Green Party campaign. The leaflet campaign, which is already
estimated to have cost half a million dollars, is expected to continue next week. Dr Brash: "I knew they were going to issue some pamphlets attacking the Government. And I said 'that's tremendous - I'm delighted
about that because the Government is lousy and should be changed.'" See… Dr Brash Confirms Knowledge Of Pamphlets
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DON BRASH ON RADIO BFM WITH NOELLE MCCARTHY – 8 SEPTEMBER
Noelle McCarthy: Is it true that you met with the Exclusive Brethren who were behind the anti-Government leaflet campaign?
Dr Brash: I can't tell you exactly when I met with [the Exclusive Brethren]. I made that quite clear it was certainly within the
last month and they told me they were utterly fed up with the Government and I agreed with them
Noelle McCarthy: There was talk that there was some prayer at this meeting – was that the truth?
Dr Brash: There was no prayer at that meeting, or at least not that I could observe. There may have been people praying silently.
The [NZ]Herald report suggesting that we met for prayer is quite wrong. I didn't say that at any point. What I did say
was that they would pray for me and pray for the National Party
Noelle McCarthy: Apart from saying that they would pray for you - was anything else of a campaigning nature discussed?
Dr Brash: Oh yes, they indicated they were going to campaign against the Government and were going to issue a pamphlet – but I
did not read those pamphlets and have absolutely no part in reading them, or writing them, funding them or distributing
them. It is high time that the media pointed that out. Labour and the Greens have been arguing that the National Party
was behind those pamphlets and we were not. The people who were behind it have now said who they are.
Noelle McCarthy: So you were aware that this group was going to use other methods besides the power of prayer to support the National
Party
Dr Brash: I knew they were going to issue some pamphlets attacking the Government. And I said 'that's tremendous - I'm delighted
about that because the Government is lousy and should be changed.'
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DR BRASH ON 1ZB WITH PAUL HOLMES – TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER
Paul Holmes: "who's doing the nasty pamphlets". Dr Don Brash denied all knowledge
Dr Brash: "I don't know actually Paul. One thing I do know, it's not the National Party."
Paul Holmes: It's got a blue tick all over the back.
Brash: Well I can't help them using our blue colour but it's not the National Party I can promise you that.
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GERRY BROWNLEE ON MORNING REPORT – WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER
Presenter: Well the National Party's Gerry Brownlee, joins us now. Gerry Brownlee, what is the National Party's relationship if
any with the Exclusive Brethren Church?
Gerry Brownlee (National's Deputy leader): Oh there's no relationship with the Exclusive Brethren Church and we did not have anything to do with the preparation
of these pamphlets or the printing and distribution of these pamphlets. We were not aware that they were coming out and
have had nothing to do with it.
Presenter: Okay…
Brownlee: I want to make a couple of points, Sean.
Presenter: Yeah.
Brownlee: I am very concerned about the attitude of both the Labour Party and the Greens. It would seem that the unions can spend
any amount of money they like promoting the Labour Party, but as soon as someone else promotes a view that's contrary to
that there's some sort of conspiracy going on.
ENDS