Maori MPs object to whanau references: Jones

WELLINGTON: New Zealand First minister Shane Jones says Maori MPs are taking strong exception to National MP Chris Bishop drawing references to the whanau links between deputy police commissioner Wally Haumaha and New Zealand First deputy Fletcher Tabuteau.

Mr Jones said National had essentially labelled Mr Tabuteau and leader Winston Peters as ‘‘somehow not passing the test of parliamentary probity’’ and called on Speaker Trevor Mallard to do something about it.

‘‘I’m not suggesting that Mr Bishop is antiMaori, and quite frankly I don’t care if he is,’’ Mr Jones said.

‘‘But it is an important principle with the number of Maori in the House, whether they are urban Maori or broader traditional Maori, that you contemplate that situation because we are not going to put up with it for one day more.’’

Mr Haumaha’s appointment process is to be reviewed by Mary Scholtens QC to determine whether the State Services Commission panel sought or passed on to the Cabinet all the relevant information required when making the recommendation.

The review was ordered in light of revelations of supportive comments he made about former friends who were accused in 2004 of the rape of Louise Nicholas, for which he has apologised.

But National has also said Mr Haumaha’s close links to NZ First MPs should have been declared to the Cabinet.

National deputy leader Paula Bennett took exception to Mr Jones’ objections in the House.

‘‘As one of those Maori, there is actually also a convention that we express our conflicts of interest for whanau and particularly when we are looking at making statutory appointments, and this side of the House has a right to question that.’’

Mr Peters spoke at a marae celebration for Mr Haumaha’s promotion to assistant commissioner last year but insists police asked him.

Mr Tabuteau mentioned Mr Haumaha as whanau in his maiden statement.

Mr Tabuteau is a member of the executive as an undersecretary although not a member of the Cabinet which signed off the appointment in May.

Mr Jones’ objections came after Mr Bishop asked Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern if she had confidence in the professional independence from Mr Haumaha ‘‘when her police minister gives him a shoutout in his workout videos, her deputy prime minister [Peters] attended a celebration on a marae for his appointment as assistant commissioner, her foreign affairs undersecretary has whanau links to him and he was previously announced as a candidate for New Zealand First?’’

Mr Peters said outside the House Mr Bishop was talking about ‘‘a tissue of lies.’’