Monday, 11 July 2011

Maori Television’s flagship current affairs show Native Affairs is hosting a live debate between ACT leader Don Brash and Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples after controversal ad campaigns in the weekend.

This morning Dr Brash laid down the challenge to the Maori Party to “debate the substance of the ad with me on television” and to “leave the ad hominems outside the studio door”.

Dr Sharples has accepted the challenge and the debate will be aired live and exclusive on Native Affairs tonight, chaired by anchorJulian Wilcox.

The challenge comes after ACT ran controversal racial ads at the weekend, including one featuring the Maori Tino Rangatiratanga flag and headlined “Fed up with pandering to Maori Radicals?” and listing what the party saw as National Party concessions to Maori ranging from the foreshore legislation to the spelling of Whanganui.

“Now is the time to draw a line in the sand. Only one thing can stop the Maori radicalisation of New Zealand. And that’s a strong ACT,” the ad concluded.

The Weekend Herald newspaper published the ad, but The Dominion Post refused and ran a different version.

Native Affairs producer Colin McRae says on hearing about Dr Brash’s challenge, they saw the challenge Brash had laid down and proceeded to track down the two leaders to propose the debate be hosted by Maori Television.

“They have both accepted and as New Zealand’s only indigenous broadcaster it was only appropriate that we be the venue to broadcast this debate and highlight the issues surrounding the controversial advertisment,” he says.

For the full story tune in to Native Affairs tonight at 8.30pm, only on Maori Television.

ENDS

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