Local Focus: Don Brash's partner, Margaret Murray-Benge, insists she's not racist

Margaret Murray-Benge says she's been called a racist b**** but insists she isn't racist.

The 76 year-old is a Western Bay Councillor in the Kaimai Ward and is running for mayor of Western Bay of Plenty District Council, alongside current mayor Garry Webber.

Her partner is former National party leader and former ACT party leader Don Brash who has been labelled racist for his views on equality and not making allowances for Māori, to achieve equality.

In her Local Focus video interview, Murray-Benge revealed that she has also been accused of racism.

"There's one man who called me behind my back, a racist b****," she said.

"I can't handle that. It's just not fair because that's the last thing I am."

Looking clearly upset by the accusation, Murray-Benge took a philosophical approach.

"Well, the one thing I've discovered is you can't please everybody, and if you treat them all as equal, then the reality is you can do no more than that.

"And if you listen to them, and work your way through the issues that confront them, and you work together, you create a harmonious society. That's what I want. And it's not asking much."

Murray-Benge said she is standing on three main policies: equality, rates and roading.

"I love what I do, I've been doing it now for a long time but I think its time I stepped up and stood for the mayoralty.

"I'd like to see change and you can't do change from where I am within the Council at the moment."