Tuesday, 16 November 2004
Dunne regrets National’s short-term focus
United Future leader, Peter Dunne, says he’s disappointed the National Party has decided to boycott the proposed select
committee inquiry into New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements.
“This is a task that requires all politicians to lift their gaze beyond their own narrow political interests and decide
to work on behalf of the much longer-term interests of all New Zealanders,” said Mr Dunne, who will chair the committee.
“All National has done has lined itself up with New Zealand First, which will tarnish its credibility.
“I wrote to Dr Brash this morning in a personal appeal for the National Party to participate in the process.
“I pointed out that every party has an important interest in the country’s future constitutional arrangements. I also
pointed to National’s well-earned reputation in this area, in view of its handling of the Treaty settlements in the
1990s, the management of the transition to MMP and its consistent emphasis on bringing New Zealand together, as one
country with many peoples.
“This is an issue of leadership and national identity, as evidenced by the response to the return of the Unknown Warrior
last week, and I had hoped that National, as the senior Opposition party, would lift itself above its immediate concerns
and take part in a process that could affect the lives of all New Zealanders for the next few hundred years,” said Mr
Dunne.
ENDS