Saturday, June 19, 2004
Gerry Brownlee proving he doesn't need to be brown
Is it just me or is Gerry Brownlee making a fairly good shake of his Maori Affairs job? I have just watched his appearance on Breakfast (thanks XTRA) which I would describe as clear and assured. Then with Tim Dower on Newstalk ZB he was consistent and unwavering delivering a potentially volatile message.
The whole issue about the Maori claims to fish farming seem as simple as he is saying - how can there possibly be ancestral rights associated to something that didn't exist up until 40 years ago?
Mr Brownlee says National's opposition to the latest deal is no different than any other non-traditional contemporary claims which National has opposed.So, a blatant bid to cozy up to Maori? Absolutely.
"This industry is less than 40-years-old and it is fanciful for Maori to claim treaty rights to any part of it.
"We opposed Maori getting airwave rights, and we opposed them getting a cut of new oil discoveries, and we oppose this.
"Labour must stop this nonsense of giving away the farm - or in this case aquaculture - in a bid to buy Maori votes."
I say let them run with it - it is just another step to ensuring that they will be gone next year.
