Brash vows to keep leading National

Don Brash faces a throng of media at Wesley flea market. Picture / Martin Sykes

A defiant Don Brash returned to public life today refusing to talk about his marriage woes but declaring he was still leader of the National Party.

Dr Brash told a media throng at an Auckland flea market today he would not talk about his rumoured affair with Business Roundtable vice-chairwoman Diane Foreman but said his marriage to his wife Je Lan was salvageable.

He also said by raising the issue in the house, a corrupt Labour Government was trying to divert attention away from its theft of taxpayer funds over spending on the Labour election pledge card.

It was Dr Brash's first public outing since he issued a press release saying he was having marriage difficulties and was taking leave on Wednesday and Thursday to be with his wife.

Today he repeatedly refused to discuss his private life but said he was still leader of the National opposition and would stay there until he was voted out by his caucus.

"It is my firm intention to continue leading the National Party."

He said he would stay to deal with the "very important issues" he entered Parliament to deal with, including the gap between income levels in New Zealand and Australia, the need for better education and welfare reform.

He refused to answer questions about his rumoured affair with Diane Foreman.

"I am not commenting on my personal life. I have made it absolutely clear I will not be discussing my personal life with the media or the public."

He said the National caucus was comfortable with his leadership and he would not step down while he had that support.

He intended to fight the next election as leader but that was a caucus decision.

Later he said he had made it clear he would not discuss personal issues but, when asked, said he believed his marriage could be saved.

"I believe it... yes," he said.

Later as he walked around the Wesley Flea Market in suburban Sandringham, he accused Prime Minister Helen Clark's Labour Government of corruption by spending taxpayer money on the election -- a reference to the Labour election pledge card paid for by taxpayer funds.

He said the Labour Government was trying "any diversionary tactic to try to divert attention from that" although he refused to comment specifically on his personal affairs when asked if senior Labour minister Trevor Mallard had "hit the button".

Last week in Parliament Mr Mallard threatened to reveal details about National MPs' private lives and called on Dr Brash to talk about the "affair".

Prime Minister Helen Clark said today National needed to ask why its MPs leaked information from its own caucus meeting, where questions were raised about Dr Brash's private life.

"It's just become a public issue because Dr Brash and others in the National Party caucus have chosen to make it a public issue," she told National Radio.

"That's where it ends as far as I'm concerned."

Helen Clark said she was looking forward to the next time Dr Brash asked a question about integrity in Parliament.

- NZPA