Prebble Richard: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Prebble Richard: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:617;Page:12707] 
3.  
Hon RICHARD PREBBLE (Leader—ACT) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Given the  
Sunday Star-Times 
 poll published last weekend that showed three out of five New Zealanders think race relations are worsening does she accept any responsibility for the deterioration? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Deputy Prime Minister) 
 on behalf of the  
Prime Minister 
: No. I think it is those on both extremes of this debate who need to take responsibility. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: So can we take it from the Prime Minister’s reply that the Government takes no responsibility for headlines like the one in today’s  
Dominion Post  
newspaper: “Whites ordered off train says girl” which referred to a Maori woman’s announcement over a handheld megaphone that there were to be “no white people on the train”; does that not sound like South Africa under apartheid and does this Government not think it should take some responsibility for that sort of disgraceful performance? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The difference is that under apartheid that was the official policy of the Government. Under this Government there is no support for those kinds of statements at all or for statements from members opposite that imply the Treaty of Waitangi is no more than a historical document. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Does the Prime Minister on reflection think it wise to have called members of the hikoi “haters and wreckers” and to have said that the Maori marchers were worse company than a sheep; and what did she think that did for race relations? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The second comment was not made. In relation to the first comment it was made in respect of certain people involved in the hikoi notably Titewhai Harawira and other members of the Harawira clan. If National Party members want to associate themselves as the new chums of Titewhai then good luck to them. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Would it not improve race relations in New Zealand for the Prime Minister to withdraw the legislation and sit down in dialogue with Maori on the basis of the common ground identified by the Waitangi Tribunal to design a solution for all New Zealanders? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: No I think it would be much more helpful if the facts were spelt out about the nature of the legislation. Today the Government will get a chance to speak which was denied to the Minister of Maori Affairs yesterday outside on the forecourt. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Does the Prime Minister consider that one way in which a more positive race relations environment could be engendered would be for there to be a proper and thorough study of and royal commission on New Zealand’s future constitutional arrangements including the place of the Treaty of Waitangi; if she does consider that to be so what steps is the Government taking in that regard? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Government’s position is that it is useful to have a broad inquiry into the place of the treaty in the future of New Zealand. I think to broaden that out to all constitutional issues is to have too many hares running at once. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: Does the Prime Minister recall her statement on 10 February on the relationship between Maori and Pakeha that: “Much of what has been said is divisive destructive and time wasting.” and “I will always take a positive view.”; and how do her phrases such as “hikoi of hate” and “haters and wreckers” contribute to positive race relations in New Zealand? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Prime Minister’s comment in relation to the hikoi was in relation to some of the leadership—those associated with the events at Waitangi who are exactly the same people who prevented me from meeting with the northern tribes over the foreshore and seabed issue. This Government has no truck with that kind of behaviour. There were thousands of other people outside who behaved well. But if the member opposite wants to associate himself with Tame Iti blowing his nose on the forecourt good luck to him.