Don Brash takes aim at religious leaders

By HELEN TUNNAH deputy political editor

National's leader, Don Brash, has taken a swipe at religious leaders after they united to say ignoring the Treaty of Waitangi's importance could erode New Zealand's moral foundation.

Dr Brash said last night that Anglican and Catholic bishops had fallen for treaty partnership concepts "hook, line and sinker".

"The bishops may wish to buy into the whole bilingual, bipartisan, partnership framework. That is fine," he said.

"But there is no justification for forcing these concepts on the people of New Zealand, or for driving them deep into the heart of the institutions of our country."

Twenty bishops took a rare public step into politics this week by releasing a statement critical of Dr Brash's treaty views, and urging for a treaty debate rather than a race debate.

Although Dr Brash and the National Party were not named in the statement, it referred to the "recent" debate which they claimed had revealed the "volatile state of popular feeling about race and ethnicity".

The church leaders, who included the New Zealand Anglican Primate, Bishop John Paterson, and the Assistant Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Richard Randerson, said they disagreed with those who said the treaty was not a partnership and offered no blueprint for modern New Zealand.

They said the treaty established a spiritual covenant between Maori and "our forebears" and to break that could erode the moral foundation of New Zealand.

Eighteen of the bishops were among 30 religious leaders who last year also delved into politics with a statement opposing the controversial decriminalisation of prostitution.

Dr Brash sparked a resurgence in opinion polls for National with a landmark speech at the Orewa Rotary Club in January in which he questioned whether Maori should have special civil, political or democratic rights.

In prepared notes for a speech at the Northern Club last night, Dr Brash responded to critics - including the Government - who have labelled him racist, saying his comments had struck a chord with New Zealanders.

"The treaty is not remotely a blueprint for building a modern, prosperous New Zealand.

"The treaty did not create a partnership: fundamentally it was the launching pad for the creation of one sovereign nation."

He said "most ordinary working" Maori had seen no benefit from treaty settlements.

Don Brash, National party leader: