Rotarian quits over National cosiness

An Orewa Rotary Club member has resigned after the club confirmed its fifth speaking invitation to National Party leader Don Brash next month.

Tumar Hazou, a Rotarian for 10 years, said yesterday he quit on principle.

He thought the club was too closely associated with the National Party because of Dr Brash's widely publicised annual Orewa speeches.

"When you tell people you come from Orewa, they say, 'Oh, you're the National Party'.

"I asked the club's board to delay Brash and instead invite a leader of another party in order to strike a balance and correct the perception.

"They decided to go ahead and confirm him so, with regret, I resigned. I have no problem with Brash coming to speak to us but I do with his using the club as a launching pad for his political agendas and manifestos."

Mr Hazou said the Rotary constitution asked members to be familiar with local and national issues.

But that was for their own benefit - not for a particular political party.

"If you pass our club on the day of the Brash meeting you would think it was a National Party meeting because of the banners and placards, which I find compromises Rotary principles."

Mr Hazou said he was a Palestinian by birth and a "naturalised Kiwi".

In Jordan he met his wife, Virginia, who is the daughter of former National Cabinet minister and ambassador to Washington, Air Commodore Frank Gill.

Ian Carpenter, an Orewa club member for 20 years and an assistant governor of District 9910, said he disagreed the club was compromising itself as a non-political organisation.

Club president Suman Mistry said: "Dr Brash is just a guest speaker ...

"There's nothing political in it."

He said the club charged $40 a head to attend the Brash speech and last year raised enough to donate equipment for the Orewa rescue boat.

Mr Mistry said the club had invited Prime Minister Helen Clark to be a guest speaker but she had always been too busy to accept.

Dr Brash, who is booked to address the club on January 31, yesterday declined to say what he thought of Mr Razou's stand.

He said only that politicians spoke to Rotary clubs up and down New Zealand and the Orewa speech had been a tradition going back to the 1970s, when former National leader Sir Robert Muldoon had a holiday bach at nearby Hatfields Beach.

Dr Brash revived the tradition in 2002 and his last year's speech "One law for all" sent National surging in the polls.

Mr Hazou said he had nothing personal against Dr Brash.