Tariana Turia's apology was clearly dictated by the Prime Minister, rather than a heartfelt apology, as she made clear by sticking to her holocaust views, Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley said today.

"In reply to a supplementary question today, she said, ' I read the Waitangi Tribunal report on the devastation of the Taranaki people and I acknowledge that they used the word holocaust, which in terms of what happened to Taranaki I believe was appropriate.'

"This was in direct defiance of the Prime Minister who on Monday banned the word and dismissed the Waitangi Tribunal's view. This is what the Prime Minister said:

'... that word must never be used again in a New Zealand context. I know the Treaty Tribunal used it with respect to Taranaki; I do not agree with that and I do not want to see Ministers using the term and causing offence again.' -- Morning Report, Monday 4 September 2000

"In light of this direct defiance of her orders, the Prime Minister must put a stop to the ongoing provocation by Tariana Turia with regard to race relations before gaps in New Zealand are further widened," Mrs Shipley said.

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