Brash's education comments "ill informed populism"

Media Release
Tuesday, 2nd of March
For Immediate Use

Brash’s comments on education little more than
“ill informed populism”

The Auckland University Students’ Association has formally denounced what it sees as the clearly uninformed comments made by Dr Don Brash regarding preferential University admission for Maori.

“It should be clearly evident to New Zealanders that Dr Brash’s agenda has very little to do with equality and far more to do with ill-informed populism” noted AUSA President Kate Sutton.

“If Dr Brash wanted to do something both popular and which promoted equity he should increase access to living allowances for all students instead of reverting to racist slurs.” continued Ms Sutton.

The Auckland University Students Association has a long history of promoting equity; both in education and wider New Zealand Society, and Dr Brash’s comments have alarmed many within the organisation and the student body.

“As the evaluation standards for Maori and non-Maori students are the same Dr Brash’s claim that Maori graduates have substandard degrees in fact devalues all degrees” said Joseph Randall, Education Vice-President, “if anyone is creating unequal standards it is Dr Brash”.

AUSA firmly stands by Nga Tauira Maori, the Auckland University Maori Students Association, in their response to Dr Brash’s comments.

ENDS