Cullen continues attack on mayor

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen yesterday continued an attack on "racist" Marlborough District Council Mayor Tom Harrison, saying he quit New Zealand First because he did not like its Maori MPs.

On Tuesday, Dr Cullen told Parliament the whole foreshore and seabed furore could have been avoided had the Marlborough local government handled matters better.

"If the Marlborough Regional Council [sic] had talked properly in the first place to the iwi with interests, if they had not had a racist mayor - and I'll say that bluntly because his comments since this issue came up prove that very clearly - it is very doubtful this issue would ever have arisen in the way it has," he said.

Mr Harrison yesterday denied being a racist and he accused the Government of trying to intimidate people into silence on the issue.

"What we have actually got here is intimidation from the highest level - it's a smear tactic," he said.

"It serves as a warning to anyone else that if you put your head above the trench on this issue you'll get knocked down."

Dr Cullen has refused to elaborate on his comments outside the protection of parliamentary privilege.

Back in Parliament yesterday, he returned to the attack.

"Somebody who actually stopped being a member of New Zealand First because he disliked the party's Maori caucus in waiting, surely has some difficulties."

Opposition MPs asked how the attacks on Mr Harrison helped the Government's desire to work in partnership with local government.

Dr Cullen said relationships with the Marlborough council had improved since councillors overruled Mr Harrison and agreed to meet local Maori.

Mr Harrison said he was astounded by the attacks.

"I'm one of the most timid persons you would ever find. I'm a Christian. I take people as I find them.

"I am certainly not a racist ... when I see the haka I am filled with pride as a New Zealander," he said.

"I've got a Maori grandchild."

Mr Harrison said all New Zealanders had an equal share in the country, and no group should have any privilege.

"We vilified South Africa - and rightly so - because they had racial legislation, which gave privilege to race. Why is it acceptable in New Zealand? It is not."

There was no difference between giving privilege and apartheid.



Mr Harrison said Dr Cullen needed to do his homework because he was neither the mayor nor a councillor when the issue first arose in 1996.

Te Tau Ihu Iwi (Top of the South) spokesman John Mitchell said the problem was with the way the Resource Management Act and other legislation were being implemented. Resource consent decisions had been analysed over a seven-month period.

Marlborough councillors will meet iwi representatives tomorrow.

- NZPA