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News
MP sidelined after surgery
Wednesday, 27 September 2006
By PJ TAYLOR
• Tamaki and Districts Times
FIRST term Tamaki MP Allan Peachey is sidelined for four to six weeks, following urgent surgery to remove a diseased kidney.
It may be an opportune time for Mr Peachey to be out of the parliamentary political spotlight, as the mudslinging on personal and party funding matters continues.
Mr Peachey’s electorate agent Murray McKinnon says the National Party member is quietly recuperating at home after the successful kidney operation.
Mr Peachey, the former Secondary Principals’ Association of NZ president and Rangitoto College headmaster, turns 57 on October 18 and expects a straightforward recovery.
“I want to acknowledge the hospital staff who have provided fantastic support to me and my family in dealing with a situation that came as a complete bolt out of the blue,” says Mr Peachey.
Meanwhile, Auckland-based list MP and National leader Don Brash issued a forthright statement on Monday saying his party has no connection to the Exclusive Brethren.
“There has never been any association between the church and the National Party. Claims to the contrary are lies from a Labour government that’s desperate to talk about anything but its election overspending,” says Dr Brash.
That was followed by retaliatory comments from Health Minister and Labour strategist Pete Hodgson, after Mr Brash’s failure last weekend to rule out potential future meetings with the Brethren.
“On Saturday, Dr Brash was asked about his formal partnership with the Brethren and whether or not he would continue to meet with them privately,” says Mr Hodgson.
“He refused then to rule that out and said his work with the Brethren was no different to his work with Presbyterians and Methodists.
“Don Brash got the message that his relationship with the Brethren was hurting the National Party. Gerry Brownlee, Katherine Rich and Maurice Williamson all publicly contradicted Brash’s stance on future meetings with the Brethren,” says Mr Hodgson.
Dr Brash was due to tell his caucus yesterday National wants nothing to do with anybody attempting to influence “in an underhand way” the political process.
“That includes the Exclusive Brethren. They crossed the line and National wants nothing to do with them. It’s important we make our distaste for this sort of behaviour crystal clear.”
Dr Brash adds he has no intention to ban people from public meetings or events because of their religious or political beliefs.
“New Zealand has jealously guarded these freedoms as fundamental rights. There’s no way I plan to start banning people from our public meetings because of the church they belong to.”
Yesterday’s National Party caucus meeting decided in a secret ballot to suspend indefinitely Rakaia MP Brian Connell, recently at the centre of serious personal allegations against Dr Brash.
“The suspension from caucus comes as a result of Mr Connell’s behaviour stretching back over the past few years,” says Dr Brash.
