Don Brash MP National Party Leader

22 March 2004

National backs action rather than another talk-fest

National Party Leader Don Brash says the National Party is not prepared to put the future of New Zealand's race relations policy in the hands of a politically appointed tribunal.

"Faced with a Government that would prefer to do nothing, the public are clearly sending the strongest possible message about the level of their concern.

"But National does not see any Commission of the great and the good as a solution.

"The Waitangi Tribunal is already an ongoing commission and now the Government wants to set up a politically-appointed tandem inquiry to tell New Zealanders what they should think.

"Helen Clark's inquiry is nothing more than a political placebo. It's a bid to disguise her Government's political paralysis and sideline the symptoms until after the next election.

"It will cost a small fortune, for an outcome which no-one can predict.

"Only National can take its principle of one law for all New Zealanders to the heart of the next Government. Meanwhile Labour and its allies are ready to abdicate all responsibility for Maori policy.

"Only National will peel back the layers of political correctness to make sure the next Government's policies are based on need not race.

"National has enough faith in New Zealanders to allow them to make up their own minds on this," says Dr Brash.

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