14 August 2002

MEDIA RELEASE

Gregory Fortuin – Put up or Shut up!

“Allegations by the Race Relations Commissioner, Mr Gregory Fortuin, that my comments regarding Mr Enoch Power are racist, are expressions of extremism and desperation and were made in ignorance of the facts”, said Peter Brown MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First.

“I urge Gregory Fortuin to be very careful who he labels as racist as it is a dreadful term”.

“Other comments made by Gregory Fortuin are equally extravagant and indicate a shallow understanding of Britain’s recent history and Enoch Powell’s career”, Mr Brown said.

“I am certainly not supporting Mr Powell’s views, neither am I even defending them, but to distort facts as I believe Gregory Fortuin has to support his own position, I believe is to resort to the lowest level in politics”.

“Contrary to Gregory Fortuin’s assertions, Enoch Powell was forthright and accurately predicted the racial disharmony that subsequently occurred in Great Britain”, said Mr Brown.

“Gregory Fortuin should not lose sight of the fact that Enoch Powell was a brilliant scholar who spoke 12 languages and was a distinguished soldier reaching the rank of brigadier at the age of just 32, and a politician repeatedly democratically elected to the Parliament for 24 years.”

I have researched Enoch Powell’s background and can find no evidence whatsoever that he supported or created the skinhead movement or indeed any other similar type movements, as asserted by Mr Gregory Fortuin. I challenge Gregory Fortuin to produce the evidence. The skinhead movement was in existence well before Enoch Powell made his speech.

“Finally, Gregory Fortuin states he believes New Zealand’s immigration policy should be ‘strategically managed’, will he confirm what that means? For I believe it is but a flowery expression for control which is exactly what New Zealand First is saying,” concluded Mr Brown.

ENDS

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