MEDIA RELEASE
3rd December 2003
ALLIANCE DEMANDS HUNT PULLS RACIST LEAFLET

The speaker of Parliament, Jonathan Hunt, must immediately ensure that the racist NZ First leaflet is withdrawn from circulation," said Alliance leader, Matt McCarten today.

"Our investigations show that the leaflet has been paid for by Parliament. It features the official crest of the House of Representatives where the publishers name usually appears," he said.

"This can only lead us to conclude that Parliament is the official publisher of the leaflet. Given that the leaflet offends the provisions of our Race Relations and Human Rights legislation, Jonathan Hunt, as the senior officer of Parliament must ensure that the leaflet is withdrawn," Matt McCarten said.

Matt McCarten congratulated the Postal Workers Association for backing its members who refuse to deliver the racist leaflet. "Distributing offensive and racist material is treated the same as publishing it in law," he said.

McCarten condemned NZ Post for agreeing to deliver the document and threatening to discipline posties who refused to deliver the offensive leaflet.

(Letter reprinted below)

3 December 2003
Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt
Speaker
House of Representatives
Parliament Buildings
WELLINGTON

WITH URGENCY

Dear Mr Speaker

I am writing to you out of deep concern at the NZ First leaflet that is currently being distributed around the country.

We are horrified and outraged by this racist and offensive attack on migrants to this country. We believe it offends the provisions of our race relations and human rights legislation. We understand that complaints have already been made to the Race Relations Office of the Human Rights Commission.

We are writing to you as we have been told that the leaflet has been funded out of the Parliamentary budget. Further, and even if the above is not the case, the leaflet includes the official crest of the House of Representatives in the space usually reserved for the publisher's name. We therefore believe that Parliament is the official publisher of the leaflet. This being the case we ask you as the presiding officer of Parliament to immediately ensure that the leaflet is withdrawn from circulation. Secondly we ask that you commence an inquiry as to how the House of Representatives has been brought into disrepute and how this action of the NZ First Party has offended our race relations and human rights legislation.

I ask you to treat this matter with urgency and get back to me at the earliest opportunity with the action that you intend to take. Yours faithfully

Matt McCarten

Leader

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