Burton Mark: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Burton Mark: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:630;Page:2454] 
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I am pleased to take a brief call. I think this has been a week in which we can take some sadness at the performance of the National Party when it comes to the Maori electoral option. I was not planning on taking a call on this but frankly I was appalled at the failure to rise to the challenge of leadership shown by Dr Brash in terms of the Maori electoral option. 
Monday was an opportunity for members of this House regardless of their party political persuasion to participate in encouraging New Zealanders to get on to an electoral roll. I do not care what roll it is frankly. As Minister of Justice I could not care less which roll people get on to. I absolutely passionately care that all New Zealanders take the opportunity to get on to an electoral roll to make that decision for themselves and to participate. I suggest that every member of this Parliament should share that passionate commitment. To have the leader of the National Party—a party that once I think could pride itself on its commitment to our democracy—trying to score cheap political points on a Sunday afternoon when not much else seemed to be happening around the press gallery was disappointing. So yet again predictably I suppose he trotted out the stir up—the “pick off the nasty scab”—of the issue of race relations and one or two people bought into it. But I was disappointed and somewhat surprised that even Dr Brash would sink to that because this is an opportunity to say to young New Zealanders in particular: “Get on a roll participate and make your choice—whether it is the Maori roll or the general roll.” While we are about it I tell any New Zealander who is of a mind to—because we are focusing on electoral rolls—to get on a roll and be a participant in our democracy. That is what this is about. But instead of that we saw this cheap tacky attempt to score a political point off the back of the same tired old prejudiced and divisive process. 
Judith Collins 
: What’s that got to do with the review? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: Well does not that sum it up? That member is sitting opposite on the front bench posing as a wannabe and asking what this has got to do with the review. What has this got to do with our democracy? It is about encouraging people to participate and to be part of it. Instead we hear unsubstantiated criticism and accusation. We heard Dr Brash say that there are people out there trying to force people on to the Maori roll—and this was on the day before the process even started. The day before the start of the face-to-face campaign to get young New Zealanders on to the electoral rolls Dr Brash told the media that people were out there trying to corrupt the process bending the system and trying to force others on to the Maori roll. 
What was the truth of the matter? No one was out there doing anything. It was the day before the campaign had even started. Does not that sum up the sad tired state that that National Party has got itself into? Its members are waging nasty silly little campaigns trying to stir up prejudice and ill behaviour between New Zealanders instead of showing some leadership showing some style and encouraging our people to get on to the electoral rolls and participate in the process. 
Well on this occasion I have to say that I share the view of Tariana Turia who said that if this was the sort of behaviour the National Party was going to demonstrate it might have to think again about ever having any friends in this place. I think she is right and I welcome that insight. I say to those members opposite that they might be new but they had better get used to the seats they are sitting in because on the basis of this sort of behaviour they will be there for a very very long time. 
Judith Collins 
: What has that got to do with the financial review? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: This has everything to do— 
Judith Collins 
: You don’t know your portfolio. That’s why you’re talking— 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: Oh look! The member sits there talking about my portfolios. The member has not made a useful contribution to the House. She is another muckraker. All that member has brought to this House is disrepute mud-slinging and character assassination. I suggest to that member that she try to make some useful contribution to this Parliament. 
Report noted.