Act, Maori Party to debate race ads

Don Brash, leader of the Act Party. Photo / Listener

ACT leader Don Brash and Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples will go head to head in a debate tonight.

It will be screened on Maori TV but details were yet to be confirmed.

Dr Brash challenged the party to a debate this morning after his party ran controversial racial ads at the weekend.

ACT ran an ad featuring the Maori sovereignty flag headlined "Fed up with pandering to Maori Radicals?"

It listed what ACT 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.

Both ACT and the Maori Party are support partners of the National Government.

Over the weekend Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia described the ads as deeply offensive and fellow leader Pita Sharples said the campaign was sad and disturbing, and its views inaccurate.

Claims of privilege did not stack up against shocking statistics for Maori health, poverty and crime.

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira, who left the Maori Party over its backing of National, said the ad was a "pathetic attempt" to rekindle racial politics.

Dr Brash said the Maori Party reaction vindicated the ads and the party advocated separatism.

He wanted to debate the issues.

"I challenge Dr Sharples to debate the substance of the ad with me on television ... and to leave the ad hominems outside the studio door," Dr Brash said.

- NZPA