Te Heuheu to front up to National caucus

By KEVIN TAYLOR, political reporter

National Party MP Georgina te Heuheu fronts up to her caucus colleagues today at a retreat in Whangarei with a cloud hanging over the future of her role as Maori Affairs spokeswoman.

Mrs te Heuheu was upset by party leader Don Brash's speech last week to the Orewa Rotary Club in which he warned of a dangerous drift to racial separatism.

Dr Brash told the Weekend Herald that anyone in the party who was at "fundamental variance" with the portfolio he or she was responsible for could not easily retain that portfolio, clearly warning Mrs te Heuheu to commit to the new Maori policy.

Yesterday, Dr Brash said he had since had two brief conversations with Mrs te Heuheu but would have another with her at the retreat either today or tomorrow.

He would not comment on whether Mrs te Heuheu had committed to the policy.

Asked if it was a matter of urgency, Dr Brash said it was not "time critical" to him.

Mrs te Heuheu was remaining tightlipped yesterday.

Approached about whether she was going to fall on her sword and resign the Maori Affairs role, she said: "I'm not even thinking about my portfolios."

She confirmed she would attend the three-day party caucus retreat.

Mrs te Heuheu has refused to make life easier for her leader by going voluntarily and on Friday night dismissed a report that she was thinking of leaving National.

North Shore MP Wayne Mapp is a possible replacement for Mrs te Heuheu, but deputy leader Gerry Brownlee is a more likely prospect for such a key post in an area where the Opposition believes the Government is vulnerable.

Other parties are holding caucus retreats this week, with Maori issues such as the Government's controversial foreshore and seabed policy likely to be on many minds.

Labour has a one-day retreat today in Wellington and United Future starts a two-day retreat at Upper Hutt. Act MPs are at Waipukurau tomorrow for three days.

Political retreats

* Labour will hold a one-day retreat today, at Premier House in Thorndon.

* National will go into its three-day retreat in Whangarei today.

* Act are headed for Hawkes Bay, where they will be in retreat at Wallingford Station, home of party supporter John Ormond.

* United Future are meeting at Wallaceville House, Upper Hutt, today and tomorrow.

* The Green Party's nine MPs gather in Nelson today and tomorrow.

* The Progressive Coalition held a strategy meeting on Friday.