Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Shadow Leader of the House

5 August 2008

Hongi hypocrisy hilarious

The hongi between Michael Cullen and Tame Iti is the height of hypocrisy and cannot go unchallenged, says National's Shadow Leader of the House, Gerry Brownlee.

The hongi between the Minister in Charge of Treaty Negotiations and the Maori activist took place at the signing of the Terms of Negotiations with Tuhoe last week, and comes after Labour pilloried John Key for doing the same thing at Waitangi.

"Trevor Mallard was eerily silent after Michael Cullen's hongi with Tame Iti. Could that be because he was astonishingly eager to open his mouth over John Key's hongi, saying; 'I cannot believe that any responsible politician in New Zealand would endorse Tame Iti in the way John Key did at Waitangi'?

"But Trevor didn't stop there. He went on to say; 'There is no obligation under any sort of culture to endorse Tame Iti in the way John Key did, and any decent leader would have had the backbone to turn round, go the other way, and not greet Tame Iti in those circumstances.'

"In fact, Trevor should have quit while he was ahead but he just couldn't stop himself, saying; 'Tame Iti was a little test that shows what sort of person some people are. John Key is someone who should be able to stand up for what is right.'

"Labour's sanctimonious slamming of John Key has been shown up to be the two-faced rhetoric they favour, which is one rule for them and another for everyone else.

"Michael Cullen should reflect on his response to a question by Bill English in the House on 21 February."

Hon Bill English: Can the Prime Minister promise the House that tonight at the opening of the Auckland Business School she will sit with Owen Glenn allow herself to be photographed with him?

Hon Dr Michael Cullen: Yes, but I can assure him she will not be hongi-ing Tame Iti at the same time.

"Really, Dr Cullen?"

ENDS

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