Brash Challenges Sharples To TV Debate

ACT New Zealand's weekend advertisement, "Fed up with pandering to Maori radicals?" has been vindicated by the Maori and Mana Parties' responses to it, says ACT leader Dr Don Brash.

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira has branded Dr Brash a redneck dinosaur who has no place in New Zealand politics.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has called the ads "offensive" and said she won't be commenting further.

Her colleague Dr Pita Sharples has written an open letter to Dr Brash accusing him of bringing Maori aspirations into contempt and ridicule.

"The one thing missing from all of this is an argument," says Dr Brash.

"The ad stated the case against special treatment for Maori and listed 13 instances of it. Dr Sharples' defence of them consists of abuse and platitudes.

"For instance, he claims 'the inclusion of a Maori voice in the EPA and the RMA reflects our bi-cultural origins as a base from which to service all our NZ cultures.' But since when was 'biculturalism' a license for a separate and privileged voice for one of the two cultures? That's what these special, unelected authorities create. Calling me a Maori-basher doesn't alter that fact.

"Far from ridiculing Maori aspirations, the ad encourages and applauds them. Invoking the spirit of Apirana Ngata, it points out that separatism is the surest way to kill those aspirations.

"In my press release accompanying the advertisement, I wrote of the attempts by separatist militants to close down debate by resorting to epithets such as 'racist' against anyone who questions their agenda.

"I challenge Dr Sharples to debate the substance of the ad with me on television ... and to leave the ad hominems outside the studio door," Dr Brash concludes.

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