14 August, 2003
Dunne running from the facts

Green MP Nandor Tanczos today repeated his invitation to Peter Dunne to publicly debate cannabis law reform, saying he would organise a panel discussion in Ohariu-Belmont on the issue and leave a chair empty if Mr Dunne didn't front.

"I asked Mr Dunne to put aside the personal attacks and debate the issues but he seems incapable of doing either," said Nandor, the Green spokesperson for Drug Law Reform.

"His response was more personal abuse."

Peter Dunne flatly rejected the invitation saying "I wouldn't have Nandor in my electorate - it would lower the house values".

"Mr Dunne obviously thinks the people of his electorate don't deserve to hear the facts. Well, we are booking the hall and having the debate anyway. His non-appearance would be most telling," said Nandor.

"The issue is obviously important to Peter Dunne because he has made it his only bottom line. Why then is he not prepared to talk about it?" asked Nandor.

Nandor said Mr Dunne's continued evasion of the facts would only serve to damage Mr Dunne's credibility.

"Mr Dunne continues to play the man, not the ball. Neither he nor the United Future member on the Health Select Committee have given any indication they have actually read the committee's report into cannabis, nor that they understand what it says.

"Peter Dunne is the architect of his party's head-in-the-sand cannabis policy yet he refuses to give any reasoning. Those are not the kind of 'family values' that most New Zealanders aspire to," said Nandor.

"I reiterate my invitation to Mr Dunne to debate the issue on the facts. The ball is in his court," said Nandor.

ENDS

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