National Front claim similarities with Maori Party

Extreme right-wing political party the National Front says there are strong similarities between it and the Maori Party.

National Front national secretary Kerry Bolton said today both parties were strongly based on race.

"We certainly support Maori self-determination just as we support European self-determination," he told National Radio.

"We are in support of any system or party that backs up its own people and culture as opposed to the forces of globalisation or levelling."

Mr Bolton said the two parties were similar in many ways, but their treatment by the media was vastly different.

"The Maori Party has come out with a defence of the Maori race and we hear deafening silence from the media and politicians to the Maori Party using the race card. There is a double standard."

The National Front's main political platform is its stand against the immigration of non-Europeans to New Zealand. The party claims it has over 500 members, the number needed to apply for registration as a political party, but has not done so.

Mr Bolton said both parties believed people should be proud of their own heritage.

He said the National Front did not oppose Maori having the power to make decisions for Maori, as long as that did not impinge on the rights of European New Zealanders.

In a party pamphlet, excerpts of which were reported in today's Dominion Post, the National Front also says there are additional similarities between the two parties.

Both have been associated with gangs -- in Mrs Turia's case, Black Power and the Mongrel Mob, and in the National Front's case the public perception it is linked with skinheads.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said today she could understand some of Mr Bolton's concerns.

"There is, I think, quite a considerable amount of truth in what he is saying in terms of how the media portrays groups," she told National Radio.

She said both groups were focused on identity, but the similarity ended there.

The Maori Party's focus included a belief that there should be respect and inclusion of all groups.

"Anybody can join the Maori Party, it's kind of like we are confirming our mana as the indigenous people of this land, then meeting our obligations... to be inclusive, to be embracing of all others."

However, the National Front appeared set against non-Europeans, she said.

"What did concern me in the immigration debate was that there was quite clearly a focus (on the part of the National Front) against immigrants of colour, immigrants who did not fit."

- NZPA