Don Brash MP
National Party Leader
08 September 2005
Labour wrong on Brethren claims
National Party Leader Don Brash has tonight confirmed that the National Party had no involvement in the preparation,
publication or distribution of the pamphlets which have now been sourced to a group of Exclusive Brethren.
“I did not see the pamphlet the Brethren proposed to distribute when they met me, and therefore had no basis to assume
the pamphlet which Rod Donald showed to me during a chance meeting in Rotorua on Monday was the one which the Exclusive
Brethren had proposed to circulate.
“So when asked by Paul Holmes if I knew who had distributed the pamphlet I made it clear that I did not know, but could
confirm that it was not the National Party.
”Once the Exclusive Brethren group came out on Wednesday, there was no doubt they were responsible, and I felt
comfortable talking about it today.”
Dr Brash confirmed the National Party has no formal relationship with the Exclusive Brethren Church and receives no
funding from them.
“I have checked with the campaign manager this afternoon and he confirms there are some volunteers from the Exclusive
Brethren helping with canvassing and putting up hoardings in some parts of the country.
“He tells me the church members have no formal role in the party, none of them are officers of the party, they’re
obviously just keen to change the Government. They are part of the huge groundswell of support we have in this
campaign,” says Dr Brash.
Ends