Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Maori Affairs Spokesman
27 June 2006
Horomia roped in on cross-party talks?
National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee says Parekura Horomia's confusing answers to questions today give
rise to speculation that he has been roped in on his call for cross-party talks on child abuse.
"At a rushed media conference on Sunday, Mr Horomia said these talks were urgent. But today he appeared to suggest any
talks could wait till after a Ministerial Taskforce report on family violence is released sometime in the next month.
"Are these talks urgent or not?
"The public expects more than the Prime Minister's 'Once Were Warriors' rhetoric and the Maori Party's generosity over
the family's position.
"The issue is of immediate importance, particularly for those who may next join the Kahui twins on the tragically long
list of murdered children.
"In principle, National supports discussions on a cross-party basis, but so far Mr Horomia has offered no detail and no
invitation to discuss the terms of reference.
"Mr Horomia needs to tell the public if his 'urgent talks' are about to slide off the agenda in favour of a snow-job
discussion about an in-house report that is more or less already finished.
"If that is the case, that is not an attempt for genuine dialogue, but an attempt to stifle open debate about child
abuse and child homicides.
"Mr Horomia needs to make his position clear," says Mr Brownlee.
ENDS