15 July 2005

Brash blunder shows pressure taking toll

Don Brash's attack on Grey Power today is evidence the pressure of an early campaign is taking its toll on an inexperienced politician, Steve Maharey said.

In his latest "pratfall" Don Brash has accused Grey Power of favouring NZ First.

"It's clear from this latest episode of foot in mouth that the pressure is starting to tell on the nerves of Don Brash," Steve Maharey said.

"Instead of attacking Grey Power, Don Brash should be explaining what difference a massive tax cut is going to make for older New Zealanders, especially as last time National had a tax cut it was swiftly followed by cuts to the rates of Super.

"It's an astonishing accusation to make when Grey Power has always been clear they don't advocate support for individual parties. They've always given all parties a fair shot at winning the support of their members."

Steve Maharey said Brash's latest pratfall followed hot on the heels of his other pratfalls, which include: Suggesting that National might cut GST, only to begin an instant scramble to distance himself from his own comments Saying New Zealand's nuclear free policy would be gone by lunch time, then saying a referendum would be necessary to scrap the policy, then saying that a "clear mandate" would be enough, and then claiming that an election-win would be adequate

Refusing to take a stand on the Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe, only to decide that National supported writing a check to Mugabe Calling a press conference to berate the Prime Minister over the election date only to have it backfire over his failure to reveal National's tax policy. Saying that he stands for the "mainstream" and then ruling out close to 2 million New Zealanders from that category, then trying to back-track Saying that children should be considered a "business expense"

Conceding that child poverty and food bank dependency could increase under National Starting the year by advising mothers to consider adopting out their children rather than go on a benefit.

"Having gone too early because he expected an early election, and spent a lot of money advertising the wrong message - i.e. tax cuts - Dr Brash is now having difficulty keeping his nerve.

"His response to this latest blunder has been to go into hiding and avoid commenting to the media."

ENDS

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