Brash gets another reminder of Maori unrest at dawn service

12.00pm - UPDATE

National leader Don Brash was today given a less forceful, but pointed, reminder that he made few friends in Maoridom when he dumped Georgina te Heuheu as Maori affairs spokeswoman last week.

But Dr Brash, who had mud thrown at him by Maori protesters at Waitangi yesterday, ruled out any suggestion Mrs Te Heuheu would be reinstated.

At today's dawn service at Waitangi, marking the start of the commemorations of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Dr Brash was told his decision to axe Mrs te Heuheu was unforgivable.

"I am quite saddened by what has happened to Georgina Te Heuheu," Tame Te Maro told the 90-minute service.

"You had better do something about it," he said.

"Bash not Brash," said another speaker.

Mrs te Heuheu was dumped after she disagreed with Dr Brash's recent speech at Orewa, where he said that under a National government Maori would lose some of their preferential treatment.

"I don't think that is a possibility at all at this stage," Dr Brash said, in response to the suggested Mrs te Heuheu's suggested reinstatement, as he left the Whare Runanga after the dawn service at the Treaty House grounds.

Although there was very pointed criticism of Dr Brash today, the level of abuse was far less intense than yesterday, when he tried to enter Te Tii Waitangi marae and was hit in the face with a clump of mud.

He was called a racist and a Maori basher repeatedly today as he left the Treaty House grounds, escorted by fellow National MP John Carter.

Later, Dr Brash said he had prepared a prayer for the service but he had no chance to deliver it.

"The prayer was going to make the obvious comments that we worship the God of all New Zealanders who made the land, the seabed and the foreshore, that we have all sinned, Ngapuhi and Scotsmen, Maori and European, and that we have to do better."

He said he would also have prayed that the leaders of the country were led to the right solutions for the country.

Although the dawn service contained a significant level of political content, it would not have been appropriate for him to have made a political speech.

Dr Brash also rejected as preposterous a suggestion he was a white supremacist after the claim was levelled at him as he left the Treaty House.

After the service Mrs te Heuheu said while she was not surprised at the support she received, she was overwhelmed at the high level of support she got.

"I am surprised at the overwhelming response which has been coming to me all week from a wide variety of sources, including Pakeha.

"All these people from one end of the country to the other know me and know the sort of person I am and that finally if I had to take a stand they know it is on a matter of principle, not just of mine but on their behalf as well."

She said she hoped Dr Brash was also surprised at the level of support she had received.

Ms Helen Clark did not attend today's dawn service. Instead she hosted a breakfast for tribal leaders and VIP guests at her hotel.

She also took a short voyage on twin-hulled waka Te Aurere before a walkabout around stalls in the sports ground on the banks of the Waitangi River.

She was greeted with a warmth markedly different from the ugly scenes that greeted her when she was pushed and abused by protesters when she visited Te Tii marae yesterday.

"What you are seeing here is the community coming together, a lot of whanau groups, a lot of health and social service groups, sports groups, everyone coming together to enjoy each other's company."

She said the protesters who were at Te Tii marae were "pretty charged up around issues" and this contrasted with the cross section of the community involved in today's activities.

"Yesterday we had a number of people from the sharp end of the movement who wanted to make a point.

"But I am philosophical. I am not stressed by anything that has happened," said Ms Clark who had her blood pressure taken at a health stall during her walkabout.

"Just a bit above normal, probably from rushing around," she was told.

Ms Clark was due to leave Waitangi on an air force plane to return to Auckland for a Waitangi Day function at Manukau City before joining the Chinese community tonight for a lamp light event in Auckland's Albert Park.

Helen Clark was treated to one of the roughest receptions of any prime minister in years yesterday when she was pushed and jostled on Te Tii marae.

Ms Clark endured a barrage of insults as she arrived and left the marae, much of the anger directed at the Government's proposed foreshore and seabed legislation.

"You're nothing but a thief Helen Clark. You're a thieving, lying bitch," said one woman as the prime minister left the marae.

A human shield surrounded Miss Clark from the time she left her car to the time she entered the marae meeting house but even surrounded by a clutch of minders, the 30m from the marae entrance to the meeting house was hard, slow going.

The official party was pushed and shoved and numerous punches were thrown as the minders tried to force back agitated protesters surging on the party.

Ms Clark was escorted onto the marae by veteran Maori activist Titewhai Harawira but said later she never felt threatened.

"I wasn't disturbed and I at no time felt (threatened).

"I think people do want to say things directly to your face and that's fine by me. I am a direct person as well.

"I went in through the front door and I came out the front door. I said I would go with the flow and I did."

When asked if it was a suitable way to treat the Prime Minister, she said she accepted there were strong feelings.

"It is all right by me for people to express strong feelings.

"I think there was some outright rudeness but there you go."

In spite of the intensity of the anger at the foreshore and seabed proposals on the marae today, Ms Clark said the Government would not rethink its policy.

"I know that the people who express them that way represent a small proportion of Maoridom. But that is not to say that an issue like the foreshore and seabed hasn't brought forward a lot of grief and a lot of reflecting back to what happened a long time ago.

"But I have been working earnestly to get something which can meet the interests of both our peoples and I intend to keep doing that."

- NZPA