The intolerance of things Maori reached new heights at Parliament today as MPs, both Maori and non-Maori, took exception to the use of te reo in the House.

"The stuffiness of the Labour Party peaked today, as did the sanctimonious of Tu Wyllie, when they tried to deny Tuku the opportunity to speak Maori in the House," the Maori Affairs Minister, Hon Tau Henare, said.

"It was an incredible display of pomposity by Johnathan Hunt and his dial-a-Maori on the back bench who, instead of defending the right to speak Maori, bandied around that member and said yes! He's right to demand a translation from Tuku before agreeing to let him speak in te reo.

"When politicians get up to speak in te reo pakeha, do we ask for a translator to interpret what is the truth and what is political grandstanding or porkies?

"This very argument highlights the profanity facing this country. Thankfully there is one party in this House prepared to step outside the box and give the issue of te reo some serious grunt so the attitudes of the Johnathan Hunts et all remain in our colonial past, where they belong," said Mr Henare.

ENDS

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