"Go and deal to the man"

Have just been watching Sharples and Brash on Native Affairs on that taxpayer funded rort, Apartheid Television, discuss the issues re the weekend ACT ads. Early on it threatened to get bogged down in definitions of words like radicals, but then freed up. Brash was in fine form being upfront not backing off on issues. Sharples was hesitant with the party line answers to questions.

Both acquitted themselves very well. Brash says New Zealand is in a very dangerous place with special preference based on race, Sharples says NZ race relations are in a very good place.

Sharples was in his own words, there to "go and deal to the man". Brash was there to discuss why we have preferential treatment for certain races.

Real worrying was the magnanimity of the Sharples view that the colonising document was one of inclusivity requiring that Maori needed to be "sitting at the table taking NZ forward". On which Brash seriously disagreed. For example, the unelected race based troughers infesting local councils.

A discussion always destined to agree to disagree. Such is the nature of the beast.

Key now really has a formidable foe.