Pillay Lynne: General Debates 
Pillay Lynne: General Debates 
[Volume:617;Page:13077] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 Will the real Don Brash please stand up wherever he is? That leader and those National Party members change their minds and their policies nearly as often as this Government introduces great initiatives and policies for New Zealanders. Dr Brash and the National Party members put up ideas that they think are winners; then if they get bad press simply change their mind. 
Let us look at some examples. Who wants to scrap this country’s proud nuclear-free status a policy near and dear to the vast majority of New Zealanders’ hearts? When questioned Dr Brash says that he has a personal view but at this point he has not expressed it. 
Regarding defence policy poor Simon Power—where is he today?—brimming with youthful exuberance and enthusiasm declared with pride his party’s policy of support for its close allies whenever called upon. When he received some bad press he received a clip from his leader. Then we found that almost identical statements were put out by the National Party in media releases. 
Dr Brash says that he is the original peacenik. He belonged to the Foundation for Peace Studies Aotearoa/New Zealand for some time. Although he stated that America did not handle Iraq as well as it might have done when pushed he said that he would have gone to war with Iraq but that he does not know why. Peacenik? Yeah right! 
Regarding superannuation policy after National stated publicly that we need to raise the age of eligibility—whoops! There was another change. No Government of which Don Brash is part will touch the age of eligibility. Regarding tax policy Dr Brash first stated that tax reductions were for the rich. He consistently made many statements about that. Now he claims that his top priority is National’s core constituency—low and middle income families in New Zealand. Yeah right! 
His policy on asset sales? After declaring a preference for selling off State assets he is reneging on that one too. That is another as-yet undecided policy. We know that Dr Brash is opposed to workers having 4-weeks’ holiday and that he would dump the policy were he ever in Government. That was that week; this is this week. Put a bit of heat on and I am sure that Dr Brash and the National Party members will change their mind on that one too. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: What about next week? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Exactly—what about next week? Dr Brash questions the need for a Ministry of Women’s Affairs but should there be a bit of criticism from women amnesia will probably kick in again. 
 That leader and that party do not have a clue as to what leadership is about. Leadership is not about chasing votes and trying to be all things to all people. It is not about having a personal view and wanting to keep that secret for now. It is not about changing one’s mind to fit the occasion. It is not about having selective memory temporary amnesia or senior moments—call it what you will. It is not about making claims that are simply not correct. Come clean! Spit it out! What are National’s policies? Give us one. They are about pillaging and plundering. They are about cutting public spending; tax cuts for the rich; slashing workers’ rights and conditions; selling off our assets; pushing privatisation in both health and education; not supporting women’s policies—and I can see those members nodding their heads eagerly—attacking those on benefits; and dividing our nation. Who wants that? If we want to see leadership we have to look to this party and to this Government.