You're being taken for granted, Brash tells Ratana Church

Don Brash

National Leader Don Brash is telling Ratana Church members that their support for Labour may be taken for granted.

Speaking at Ratana Marae, 20km south of Wanganui, before tomorrow's 132nd birthday anniversary of the Ratana movement's founder, prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, Dr Brash was expected to note the church's traditional links with Labour.

But times had changed, he said in speech notes released ahead of his address.

"There are dangers to Ratana, and indeed to Maori more generally, if any single political party can take your political support for granted," he said.

"The risk is that Labour will take that support for granted as has clearly happened in the past."

Recent speculation is that Ratana Church members, who have had a close affiliation with Labour since the 1930s, may be shifting support to the new Maori Party following controversial legislation giving the Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed.

National is trying to take advantage of the possible break.

"I am certainly delighted that the unquestioning support for Labour is up for discussion and debate at least. But I very much hope that you will conduct that review with an open mind, looking at all possible options, Dr Brash said.

"You won't be surprised when I say that in my opinion it is the National Party which offers the greatest hope for all New Zealanders -- Maori and non Maori alike."

Te Whakaotinga Ronald Smith, spokesman for the movement's secular base at Te Omeka Pa, near Matamata, has said that members would be surveyed to ask which party they supported.

However, Ratana Church president Harerangi Meihana told the Herald on Sunday he would use the church's national synod meeting at Easter to tell members to remain loyal to Labour.

Dr Brash also touched on comments he made last year in his first visit to Ratana, when he foreshadowed his controversial Orewa speech telling those gathered that there needed to be one law for all.

Today he said he stood by those views.

"I know that speech upset some people, but it upset them partly because I believe many did not read the speech carefully.

"There was nothing anti-Maori in the speech, there was only the strong assertion that there should be no preferential treatment based on the colour of your skin.

"I make no apology for that speech because it plotted a way forward, and I rather suspect that TW Ratana, if he were alive today, would be agreeing with me."

Dr Brash noted speculation that his speech at Orewa tomorrow would focus on welfare.

While not confirming that it would, he said the welfare system had, and continued to have, a "devastating" effect on Maori. Maori made up almost 40 per cent of those on the DPB and nearly half of Maori children were welfare dependent.

"This is a disaster for Maori and for all New Zealanders, and only the National Party has the determination to deal with that disaster."

National would create a culture of aspiration and success, he said. "But we will have no time for political correctness, or for suggestions that Maori should be treated differently from anyone else on the grounds of race."

Dr Brash also talked at Ratana today about past National achievements in housing, Maori language education, health and in Treaty of Waitangi settlements which had benefited Maori.

Among Dr Brash's contingent were members of the Kotahitanga Community Trust.

Also speaking at the marae today were Prime Minister Helen Clark, 25 of her MPs with her, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, Maori Party leader Tariana Turia and Green MP Metiria Turei.

Maori Queen Dame Te Atairangikaahu and Ngati Tuwharetoa paramount chief Tumu Te Heuheu were also attending.

A spokesman for Miss Clark, who has attended the celebrations 12 times, earlier said this visit was especially important because of the upcoming election.

"Labour, in an election year, works on shoring up the Maori constituency -- it is a key constituency for Labour and this is no different," she said.

"There is a big Labour group going this year to make sure we pay respects to the Ratana leadership. There's been a long-standing relationship and obviously Labour wants that to be maintained."

TW Ratana died in 1939 but his spiritual and political movement still has at least 40,000 adherents.

Celebrations began yesterday and will end tomorrow.

- NZPA