Summarised by Centrist
Shane Jones has accused Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris of showing contempt for Parliament by apologising only in te reo Māori after being found in contempt by the Privileges Committee.
The committee ruled Ferris deliberately misled the House by denying he had called MPs “liars” during a debate last September.
Jones, a New Zealand First MP, argued that Ferris should have apologised in both English and Māori, saying those who deserved the apology should have heard it in “both languages of the Treaty.” He claimed Ferris was using tikanga as a shield and called his actions an “ethnic warping of democracy.”
Ferris stood by his apology, saying it meant more in te reo Māori than in English. He added that his party’s stance would continue to “agitate” and that Māori had long fought to be heard in Parliament.
The committee’s report stated that finding no fault would undermine trust in Parliament, as MPs must be truthful for the House to function properly.
Read more over at The NZ Herald
Image: Stuartyeates
