8. GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) Link to this
to the Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
What did his hongi with Tame Iti, at the signing of the terms of negotiations with Tūhoe last week, symbolise?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) Link to this
The fact that Mr Iti came to Parliament as part of a 400-strong delegation from Ngāi Tūhoe to sign terms of negotiations with the Crown. He was, of course, one of the signatories.
Does he recall the comments of the Hon Trevor Mallard earlier this year when he stated “I cannot believe that any responsible politician in New Zealand would endorse Tame Iti in the way that John Key did …”, and has he heard what Mr Mallard thinks of his endorsement of Tame Iti by not just one hongi but, in fact, a trio of hongi last week?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I am sure that the member will find out sooner or later in his life that after the first time it is much easier.
Does he agree with Trevor Mallard when he stated in the same speech: “any decent leader would have had the backbone to turn round, go the other way, and not greet Tame Iti,”; if so, does his trio of hongi with Tame Iti last week indicate that he is not a decent leader and has no backbone, because he did not take the strongly worded advice of his wise colleague?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I do recall that earlier in the year Mr Key was wandering around the Treaty House grounds at Waitangi looking for a friend, and found one. Mr Tame Iti was the only one available at that time. I was standing in a formal line for a formal pōwhiri. To have declined to hongi in that situation, when reconciliation was the purpose of the entire function, would have been grossly discourteous, in my view.
Does the Minister think that his explanation about these two situations—first, John Key going to Waitangi and being greeted by Tame Iti by way of a hongi, then Tame Iti coming to Wellington to be greeted by Dr Cullen by way of a hongi not just once but three times—is in essence the same thing; if so, will he now apologise to Mr Key for the injudicious remarks of the Hon Trevor Mallard?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
There is only one deputy leader in this House who needs to apologise to Mr Key every day, and it is not me.
Is not his justification of his trio of hongi with Tame Iti, and his condemnation of John Key’s singular hongi with Tame Iti, another example of one standard for Labour and another standard for everyone else, just like the Rt Hon Helen Clark’s saying that tax cuts were the promises of a visionless and intellectually bankrupt people, until, of course, she herself decided to announce tax cuts, and just like the Rt Hon Helen Clark lecturing Fiji about free speech and human rights, until she unleashed on the New Zealand people the Electoral Finance Act, which is designed to shut down anyone who wants to attack Labour; and will he not finally admit that Labour members’ positions are constantly riddled with contradiction and the use of facts designed to suit themselves?
I would take a point of order to ask the Minister to give an answer, but I guess that when one is caught, one is caught. I instead seek leave to table this very fetching photo of Mr Iti greeting, by way of a hongi, Dr Cullen.
Madam SPEAKERHon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Before granting leave—and I am happy do so—I want to be sure that I will not have a question from Mr English tomorrow claiming that the photo is an advertisement under the Electoral Finance Act.