For immediate release

Tuesday, 19 November 2002

Alexander exposes NZ First contradictions

United Future MP, Marc Alexander, today skewered New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, on the contradictions between his maiden speech to Parliament in 1979 and the stance he has taken in the current fierce debate over immigration.

"I believe Mr Peters' current stance does a great disservice to what is a perfectly legitimate debate, to the extent that he has lowered it to a level barely distinguishable from straight-out bigotry," said Mr Alexander.

"This is in marked contrast to his maiden speech, which seemed to favour a multicultural future with the remark 'New Zealand is not a monotonous garden where every flower is the same; it is a garden where the diversity of the blooms enriches the view.' "

Mr Alexander pointed out that in the same speech, Mr Peters attacked the worst critics as those who 'set out to exploit every tremor and spasm in society, the economy, or race relations, seeking to use every such event as a vehicle to project his own public personality.'

"Is that how Mr Peters now regards himself?" asked Mr Alexander.

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