Sir Howard Morrison in quotes

Sir Howard Morrison. Photo / Richard Robinson

Sir Howard Morrison was known for speaking his mind. Below are some of his quotes:

Sir Howard Morrison on Neil Finn's criticism of the then Prime Minister Helen Clark (2007):

"What's really got up my nose is, here's a guy that had his last farewell in front of a free audience in Sydney. He's never done one of those in New Zealand.

"He doesn't volunteer when asked to do things. To my knowledge, he's been asked and just flatly refused."

Sir Howard on politicians (2005):

"I have read so much garbage, tinged with greed, and absolute quest for power that I think we are losing the sense of values, the morality and the real issues of the people," he said.

"I was brought up after the Depression years and I have seen the pain that we have recovered from and developed as pioneers, well my father and grandfather anyway."

Sir Howard on NZ Idol winner Rosita Vai (2005):

"I'm not being cruel," he said. "She has already lost weight throughout the show and you can see that. She has gone from waddling on to the stage when she first started to being more in control of her performance, but she is still too big."

Sir Howard on race relations in a newspaper advertisement (2005):

"Turn to your neighbour, Pakeha, Maori, Pacific Islander or any other origin, and ask: 'What can we do together to make our country a nation to celebrate?'."

Sir Howard on race relations in Australia (2005):

"It's a peculiar situation in Australia, but one thing that has always been in is that anyone coffee-coloured or black doesn't fit into the culture that Australians feel comfortable with."

He also said Australia was: "keeping apartheid alive".

Sir Howard on Don Brash's Orewa speech (2004):

"At least Maori know where the enemy is."

Sir Howard on Government hui on Seabed and Foreshore legislation (2003):

"I and we, Te Arawa, felt it would probably be more prudent seeing as Helen Clark was not going to these briefings on marae, it would have been much better for her to have called a hui taumata in Wellington," Sir Howard said.

"Taumata is the absolute ultimate, where people of reason, intelligence, tolerance and commitment would gather, so the mountains of Maoridom would go to the legislative chambers of Parliament and debate the issue."

Sir Howard on Maori Arts funding (2000):
"I don't hear any Maori lobbying voices except my own and I am getting despondent hearing the echo of my own voice."

Sir Howard Morrison Quartet's lines from My Old Man's an All Black (1960):

"Oh, my old man's an All Black,
He wears the silver fern,
But his mates just couldn't take him
So he's out now for a turn.

- NZHERALD STAFF