Brash fearless in Peters territory

By ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE

Don Brash got a mixed reception - abundant applause and a barrage of brickbats - when he brought his "one law for all" message to the Tauranga territory of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters yesterday.

Wandering through a lunchtime crowd in Mr Peters' stamping ground of Mid-City Mall (colloquially known as Red Square), a relaxed-looking Dr Brash found no shortage of hands to shake.

But once he mounted the makeshift dais to address a gathering of around 500, the tension was palpable.

It was to be as lively a rally as any that Winston Peters has mustered, but with a sharply contrasting speaker in control.

Pro-Brash and anti-Brash listeners soon made their presence felt and a Maori-Pakeha rift was also soon obvious.

Facing them, the backdrop to Dr Bash was a large blue National Party placard reading "Bringing New Zealand Together".

A few amateur signs in the crowd proclaimed: "Brash uses race card for hidden agenda," "Don, we want binding referenda now" and cryptically "Whenever powerful private interests are threatened Government laws change".

At times, fierce disagreements broke out between individuals and among factions of the audience as Dr Brash struggled to be heard. Police moved in when the odd altercation became too heated but there were no arrests.

The interjections started almost as soon as the no-nonsense National leader began reiterating the views he first aired at Orewa.

"Give us our land back!" and "What is going to make you any different?" were among the comments hurled from the sidelines.

When he spoke of "the next National Government" the response was: "There isn't going to be one."

After the imperturbable Dr Brash pointed out the Labour-led Government was now re-examining its Maori policies after branding him a racist over the Orewa speech, several people called: "You are."

He carried on unflustered, drawing loud applause when he said superannuation was not at risk. Calling for honesty in the way in which political parties dealt with the superannuation issue, Dr Brash admitted the National Government of the 1990s "wasn't particularly honest on this either".

Promising "not to mislead the New Zealand people", he said National had still to announce its superannuation policy.

"What I can tell you today is that there will be no early increase to the age of entitlement. It is simply not needed. But some time around the year 2020, the age of entitlement is going to be an issue, regardless of which party is in government and regardless of the existence of the Cullen Fund."

Interjector: "You'll be dead then."

"I may well be, sir," responded Dr Brash, then resumed his no-notes speech.

The racket intensified during a question and answer session, which Dr Brash weathered with aplomb. Keeping his composure throughout, he firmly repeated his known views on treaty grievances, health, education and social welfare.

Afterwards Dr Brash was tightly surrounded by well-wishers and opponents, listening and responding patiently to what they had to say, before being ushered away.

Herald Feature: Sharing a Country