Dunne points Brash to the future, not the past
United Future leader Peter Dunne today cautioned National leader, Don Brash, that the New Zealand voter is looking for
policies to guide the country in the future, not hankering for the past.
“I am astonished that Dr Brash has publicly signalled his yearning for the old ‘first past the post’ electoral system
that New Zealanders rejected over a decade ago,” said Mr Dunne.
“By rejecting any potential coalition partners in a future Government, Dr Brash is in reality saying National will never
lead another New Zealand Government.
“He ought to be aware that Labour in 2002 tried, and failed, to be elected as a one-party Government – the voters simply
rejected that option.
“People opted for MMP because they did not trust and had had enough of the ‘born to rule’ arrogance of the old parties
and wanted to put a check on them.
“Perhaps the results of a couple of recent polls have gone to his head already.”
Mr Dunne suggested Dr Brash would be better off building constructive relationships with other parties, if he truly
wanted National to be relevant to the future of a prosperous New Zealand
He said United Future had demonstrated clearly in its relationship with the Labour-led government how a support party
could contribute to stable government and achieve its policy objectives.
“Constructive engagement like this, rather than a return to Dr Brash’s exclusive one-party past, is the way of the
future,” he said.