As Waitangi Day commemorations get underway, philanthropist Gareth Morgan and former National Party leader Don Brash clashed over race relations.
Dr Morgan has taken aim at Dr Brash for the controversial speech he made in Orewa 11 years ago, but Dr Brash is standing by what he said.
Before the show started, it was all smiles and there was even time for a joke. But it quickly became personal.
Mr Morgan entered Dr Brash territory to address his speech that caused so much division in 2004.
"I thought it opportune to provide a perspective on the Brash ideology that exposes it as a harsh, intolerant view of anyone who's different to one's self," says Dr Morgan.
Dr Morgan says the speech left a damaging legacy and took a swipe at people who still subscribe to Dr Brash's way of thinking.
"Such folk are tragic, suffering confusion between ethnicity and citizenships, let alone either denial or ignorance of the Treaty obligation. They are, as I have said, ignorant."
Dr Brash hit right back at some of Dr Morgan's ideas.
"I don't regret what I said in that speech," says Dr Brash.
"I think making the teaching of Te Reo Maori compulsory in primary school, as he advocates, is a complete waste of valuable teaching time for most New Zealand children."
Dr Morgan is travelling to Waitangi today, where he's expecting a much warmer reception.
We'll know what reaction he gets when he delivers a speech at Waitangi tomorrow.
3 News
source: newshub archive
