English calls on Clark to outline Treaty agenda

National Party Leader Bill English says he’s surprised Helen Clark is refusing invitations to publicly explain her Government’s position on Treaty of Waitangi issues.

“The Prime Minister’s accused me of ‘a divisive rant aimed at setting New Zealander against New Zealander’, when in reality what every Kiwi wants is constructive discussion about the place of the Treaty today, and what it means to be a New Zealander,” Mr English says.

“It‘s rare for the media hungry Helen Clark to refuse interviews on any subject.

“I’m now challenging her to identify specific areas of yesterday’s speech she disagrees with,” Mr English says.

“In the lead up to Waitangi Day, our national celebration, I’m also asking the country’s elected leader to use the next few weeks to outline the role of the Treaty in New Zealand’s future.

“And she needs to spell it out to all New Zealanders, not just Maori,” Mr English says.

“When you look at the policies being introduced by this Government it seems clear the intention is to separate out Maori and Maori institutions from the rest of New Zealand society.

“The National Party believes it’s an issue that the silent majority want to discuss.

“It’s not about Maori bashing as Helen Clark suggests, it’s about one standard of citizenship - one rule for all,” says Mr English.

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