Hide: Brash Act bid 'one-sided'

Don Brash's letter was 'especially one-sided', said Act leader Rodney Hide. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Rodney Hide is calling Don Brash's bid to take over the leadership of the Act Party "an unprecedented leadership challenge", while dismissing Dr Brash's supporter John Banks as not "an Act person".

In an open letter to Act members and supporters, posted to his Facebook page this morning, Mr Hide also criticised a letter Dr Brash had written to him, outlining his ambitions.

"The letter alarmed me because I thought it was a letter designed to be leaked, as it was especially one-sided," Mr Hide said.

Dr Brash has offered his leadership to the Act Party and, if successful, has said he supports Mr Banks to stand as the Act candidate in Mr Hide's electorate seat of Epsom.

Mr Hide said he had always encouraged Dr Brash to join the Act Party, even before he joined and stood for National in 2002, and again when he lost the leadership of National to John Key in 2006.

Similar discussions took place earlier this year.

"Don and I had a series of meetings during which time a number of ideas were floated on how the party could best leverage Don's strengths.

"Don's initial position was that he would join only as leader, with John Banks as Act's candidate in Epsom. I suggested John Banks was not an Act person but that clearly Don was."

He said he discussed the proposal with the party president Chris Simmons, vice-president Bruce Haycock and deputy leader John Boscawen.

"We were agreed that the first step for Don was to join the party. I met with Don, asking him to join and said I would pay his membership fee! He refused."

Dr Brash has said that Mr Hide offered him a co-leadership role, as well as the Act ticket in Epsom during a secret meeting last month.

He said the meeting initially took place at a Burger King, and then at a private home, where Mr Hide told him that he would consider standing aside for Dr Brash in Epsom if polling showed Dr Brash had a much greater chance of winning the seat.

Mr Hide and Mr Simmons have both rejected that, saying co-leadership, among other matters, had only been discussed with Dr Brash.

"Don then wrote me a letter setting out his decision to turn down the opportunity," Mr Hide said in his open letter.

"I shared the letter with the President, Vice President and Deputy Leader. That was where matters stood."

Dr Brash's public statements at the weekend for his desire to lead the party took Mr Hide by surprise, Mr Hide said.

"It seems to me that Don has put Act into a difficult position because he can't become leader unless he is a member.

"I do not intend on putting my head in the sand over this challenge, but at the same time there is important work to be done that builds on the foundations the board has been laying over the last few months."

Meanwhile on the WhaleOil blog, former Act MP David Garrett has come out in support of Dr Brash.

Mr Hide has been tarnished with a number of scandals that have seen his popularity take a hit in Epsom, Mr Garrett said.

"As a political operator, Hide is superb, with very good instincts for what will fly - and perhaps more importantly, what won't. In this regard, in my view Hide is much better than Brash.

"For me, Brash has a couple of significant pluses. Firstly, he appeals to three significant segments of Act support: the 'economic literates' who founded the party; the 'law and order' group, which was pushing three strikes long before I came along; and perhaps just as importantly now, those who strongly believe in 'one law for all' and an end to race based laws and division of resources.

"So, who is best equipped to lead the right? For all his limits, probably Brash; he says he is going to form another party anyway, and he strikes me as a man who says what means. And the raw reality is he also appears to have the vital financial backers.

"Just as Act can't be 'the Rodney Hide Party', even Alan Gibbs will not go on funding a losing horse forever. If Brash is to be believed - and he does not strike me as a man who is slick enough to lie convincingly - other financial backers have put their money on him and not Hide."

Rodney Hide's letter in full

Letter to Members and Supporters:

On Good Friday, Don Brash informed the President that he had told the Dominion Post he would only be interested in working with ACT as the leader of the party. This has resulted in an unprecedented leadership challenge by a person who is not a member of the party.

Let me give you the background.

I have always encouraged Don to join ACT, even before he joined and stood for National in 2002, and again when he lost the leadership of National to John Key in 2006.

Now in 2011, I have been working proactively with the President and Board to identify strong candidates who will build strength into the future of the Act Party. This included engaging with Don Brash, and a number of others, to gauge their interest in joining the Act Party Candidate register.

Don and I had a series of meetings during which time a number of ideas were floated on how the party could best leverage Don's strengths. Don's initial position was that he would join only as leader, with John Banks as ACT's candidate in Epsom. I suggested John Banks was not an ACT person but that clearly Don was.

I discussed Don's proposal with the President, Vice President and Deputy Leader. We were agreed that the first step for Don was to join the party.

I met with Don, asking him to join and said I would pay his membership fee! He refused. We reviewed various options on how we could work together in a collaborative way to build a strong party for the future.

Don then wrote me a letter setting out his decision to turn down the opportunity. The letter alarmed me because I thought it was a letter designed to be leaked, as it was especially one-sided. I shared the letter with the President, Vice President and Deputy Leader.

That was where matters stood.

I was as surprised as anyone with Don announcing over Easter he wanted to publicly contest the leadership of the Act Party while still a member of the National Party.

Don has publicly stated that he will only become a member of ACT if he is leader. In today's media Don has made his interests very clear.

It seems to me that Don has put ACT into a difficult position because he can't become leader unless he is a member. The leadership of ACT is determined by the caucus and ratified by the Board.

My position is that I serve as Leader of the Act Party on behalf of the membership until the caucus and the board determine otherwise.

And so, the President and I, along with the Board and the caucus, continue to seek out good candidates for ACT who will build a strong party into the future. Leadership succession is an essential consideration, just as it is in any organisation. Equally we wish to provide ACT members with a team that will deliver on our ideals and principles, who will ensure that New Zealand becomes a prosperous economy where individuals are empowered to succeed.

I do not intend on putting my head in the sand over this challenge, but at the same time there is important work to be done that builds on the foundations the Board has been laying over the last few months.

I look forward to talking with you personally as I continue the excellent visits around the country such as I enjoyed last week in the Waikato.

Best regards

Rodney Hide