Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Maori Affairs Spokesman

30 August 2005

Greens/Maori Party: different sides of the same coin

"Everyone knows that if it came to the crunch Helen Clark would do a deal with the Maori Party," says National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee.

"Her obfuscation about the Maori Party being the 'last cab off the rank' fools no one and her claim today that she doesn't support Tariana Turia's 'separate' agenda is a complete nonsense, when stacked alongside the agenda for her preferred coalition partner, the Greens.

"In previous statements and their policy, the Greens have made no secret of their preference for a divided country. The divide will grow under any Greens/Labour coalition," says Mr Brownlee.

The Greens:

* Want to ensure that Maori, as tangata whenua, have a partnership role in determining Aotearoa/New Zealand's immigration policy.

* Support rongoa Maori (traditional Maori healing) practitioners and practices.

* The Green Party supports an ongoing dialogue on how shared guardianship can be developed to protect and enhance our natural heritage. The role of hapu as kaitiaki of their rohe must be recognised and strengthened.

* And from their income support policy: Provision of income support services must reflect a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Source: http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/policy4763.html

ENDS

© Scoop Media