Message confused warns retiring MP

Retiring Green MP Ian Ewen-Street has delivered a pre-election warning that the party is sending "confused messages" to voters.

The two-term MP said the Greens were at a "crossroads" and there was confusion over how they presented themselves.

Speaking to the annual conference in Christchurch yesterday, Mr Ian Ewen-Street said the Greens needed to address their direction.

He told the Herald later that the party had an unequivocal brand - saving the planet - but it had "given a lot of confused messages and we continue to do so". He refused to elaborate.

Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons disagreed, saying she did not think the party was at a crossroads. "We are pretty clear about the direction we want to go."

Some Greens harbour concern about the party's association with a policy to decriminalise cannabis, though such dissent is seldom publicly aired. There is also disquiet, albeit muted, about the very strong stance on Maori rights.

Meanwhile, Ms Fitzsimons and co-leader Rod Donald got uncharacteristically personal in their speeches.

Yesterday Ms Fitzsimons attacked National leader Don Brash and NZ First leader Winston Peters for their attitudes to women and Maori.

"Women understand that in Don Brash and Winston Peters' vision of New Zealand, their rightful place is in the kitchen," she said.

Ms Fitzsimons said Dr Brash also wanted all Maori to be "just like Pakeha in every respect", and the "assimilationist" policies of the reactionary right paralleled those of the Australian Government's treatment of Aboriginal people.

Her attack followed Mr Donald's on Saturday in which he called Mr Peters a "snake oil merchant" and the "ugly face of New Zealand politics".

He said it was no coincidence the National Front's leader had quit politics as NZ First had stolen its policies.

And Mr Donald repeated Green MP Keith Locke's assertion that Mr Peters' immigration policy looked like something from Hitler's Germany.

Mr Peters could not be contacted but told the Herald on Sunday the Greens were heading for oblivion.