GREENS SAY SORRY FOR OFFENSIVE EMAIL

The Green Party today distanced itself from an offensive message sent to
United Future leader Peter Dunne.

Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons sent a letter of regret and said the
person who wrote the email was an unpaid volunteer who had been "unable to
restrain himself".

The row between the two parties over cannabis was reignited when party
worker Stuart Young sent an email to Mr Dunne calling him a coward for
refusing to debate law reform with Green MP Nandor Tanczos.

The email addressed Mr Dunne as "Peter Dunhill", described him as a "dirty
lunger" and said he was "an extremely rude hypocritical scumbag" for not
supporting cannabis law reform.

Mr Dunne released the email and responded with a press statement saying it
was typical of the way the Greens debated politics.

"It never lifts itself above the level of crude personal abuse, it lacks
good grammar and spelling; and all its assertions fail the test of being
backed by reasoned logic," he said.

Today Ms Fitzsimons released the letter she had written to Mr Dunne, saying
she was sorry a party member had used abusive language.

"This is not the way the Green Party does politics, and we have pointed
this out to him," she said.

"I would like to clarify that Stuey is not a Green Party official, but an
unpaid volunteer who manages the technical side of our website. His message
to you was personal and does not represent the Green Party.

Ms Fitzsimons said Green MPs and officials had "resolutely refrained from
replying in kind to your continual personal attacks on the party and MPs
and misrepresentation of our policies.

"We are disappointed that, on this occasion, one of our members has been
unable to restrain himself."

Mr Dunne and Mr Tanczos have been feuding for months about cannabis policy.

United Future is strongly opposed to any move towards decriminalising
cannabis, which Mr Tanczos advocates.

While this has been going on, Mr Dunne has been trying to amend smokefree
legislation and replace an outright ban in bars and clubs with a clean air
standard and ventilation.

At one point Mr Tanczos said it was time to end the personal attacks and
get down to business in a public debate in Mr Dunne's electorate.

Mr Dunne did not like the idea of sharing a platform with the Green MP,
saying it would lower house values in Ohariu-Belmont.

Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton picked up the challenge and said
he would debate with Mr Tanczos anywhere.

The confrontation has not yet taken place.