Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8120] 
12.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (NZ National—Ilam) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: Does he still believe “a strong and effective partnership between local and central government is critical” and how does the Hon Dr Michael Cullen’s labelling of Marlborough Mayor Tom Harrison as “racist” help his primary objective as Minister of Local Government to “strengthen that partnership through dialogue”? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Local Government 
: Yes strong and effective partnerships between local and central government are critical. Such partnerships also allow for robust debate. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Since it was the Prime Minister who encouraged Tom Harrison and his council to “take some action” in relation to the foreshore and seabed court decision what has gone wrong with the relationship between the Government and the Marlborough District Council that now sees the Government calling Mr Harrison a racist? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: After recent decisions by the district council to take a different position from Mr Harrison relationships have improved significantly. But somebody who stopped being a member of New Zealand First because he disliked the party’s Maori caucus in waiting clearly has some difficulties. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Dr Cullen might be embarrassed because he is as guilty as sin of accusing someone of being racist when even the Maori proponents have defended the mayor in question but he will not malign this party with a tissue of lies. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I wish the member had listened. I did not malign his party at all. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Yes you did. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: What I said was that the person in question resigned was turned off by the New Zealand First Party because he referred to something he called the party’s Maori caucus in waiting. I do not see that as a criticism of New Zealand First at all. 
David Parker 
: How does the Government foster strong and effective partnerships with local government? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: We have a regular— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think you need to see where the wickets are and where that question is aimed at. Specifically the primary question was about the comments made by a Minister it affects the portfolio areas of another Minister and refers very specifically to Dr Cullen referring to Mr Harrison as a racist. To go as wide as asking what programmes the Government has in place to foster partnerships is surely a long way off the intent of the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No a part of the question did refer to partnerships and the member is asking about that. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I have an extraordinarily long answer but very briefly the Government runs regular central/local government forums. Central government involves Local Government New Zealand in the policy development process. There are a range of joint working-groups. In particular I mention the joint work that is going on with Auckland in terms of transport development in that city. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Is it fair to say that his Government’s commitment to building strong relationships with local government extends only to those local government politicians who agree with them and if they do not agree with the Government they are likely to get labels such as Tom Harrison being labelled a racist? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: No. We even have excellent relationships with Mayor John Banks of Auckland who is not a well-known Labour Party supporter. 
Rodney Hide 
: Has he any concerns that the term “racist” is in danger of being downgraded by this Government which hurls the term at anyone who has a policy to do with Maori issues and disagrees with this Government or indeed is critical of this Government; and would he not think it a wise idea to keep the term “racist” for people who truly are racists? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Certainly I do not think the term “racist” is as misused by the left as the term “politically correct” is by the right. But somebody who regards Maori indigenous rights as a form of apartheid is certainly bordering upon being a bit strange in the New Zealand context. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I seek leave to table a news item dated this day where John Mitchell of Ngati Tama iwi defends Mr Harrison and blames central government—namely Dr Cullen. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I seek leave to table a reference in an article in the  
Marlborough Express 
 yesterday where Mr Harrison was accused of racist remarks by a Maori group. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Is the acting Minister of Local Government now telling us that if people want to protect what they think is theirs and claim a right to what they believe is theirs that is an act of apartheid; if so is he labelling every Maori claimant to seabed and foreshore in this country a person or persons or organisations that promote apartheid? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: No. It was Mr Harrison who made that claim.