Don Brash MP National Party Leader

30 June 2005

National accepts offer for briefing on Zimbabwe

National Party Leader Don Brash says the National Party will accept Labour's belated offer to brief the alternative Government on efforts to stop the Zimbabwe cricket team from touring New Zealand.

"Unfortunately, Phil Goff has not had the courtesy to make the offer through normal channels, but chose instead to try to score a political point through the media.

"We've been asking for this briefing for a week.

"National thinks this issue is more important than party politics, so we are prepared to lay politics aside in order to reach a bipartisan position and send the strongest possible message to the Mugabe regime."

Earlier today, the National Party Caucus gave its backing to Dr Brash's call for a ban on the Zimbabwe Cricket team's tour of New Zealand later this year.

"Robert Mugabe is an evil dictator running an evil regime.

"National broadly supports the Government's efforts on this issue to date, but unlike Labour we are not prepared to bankrupt New Zealand Cricket for the sake of a political decision," says Dr Brash.

ENDS

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