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Winston Peters has refused to apologise for his attack on a Chinese-Kiwi MP despite the prime minister and others describing his comments as "racist".
The Foreign Affairs minister attracted a firestorm of criticism last week after telling the Greens' Lawrence Xu-Nan to "go back to where you've come from" during a tirade in Parliament.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon raised the matter with the New Zealand First leader on Monday in a private meeting, after earlier condemning the remarks. Luxon, however, refused to reveal any details about the exchange.
Addressing reporters for the first time since that meeting, Peters also declined to divulge what was said behind closed doors.
"We had a meeting with the prime minister. It's private and that's the end of it," he said on Tuesday.
Asked whether he would apologise, Peters instead doubled down, arguing his conduct was justified given Xu-Nan's heckling during his speech in Parliament.
"I was talking about a critical shutdown and cover-up to do with the Covid inquiry, and all the people [who] are going to suffer as a consequence.
"He was jeering and shouting from my side. I'm not apologising for them, most certainly not. I'm not apologising on behalf of all those people who are victims."
The official transcript of the Parliamentary debate noted that Xu-Nan interrupted Peters' speech by shouting, "Are you vaccinated?"
Asked whether he had embarrassed New Zealand with his conduct, Peters ended questions and marched off into the debating chamber.
Speaking separately to reporters, National deputy Nicola Willis said she was disappointed Peters would not apologise.
"Ultimately it is a matter for Winston Peters to be accountable for his words in Parliament."
Willis said, in her view, the foreign minister had fallen short of the standards expected of parliamentarians.
"To question the validity of someone's ability to speak based on their country of birth is really unreasonable, and it has been, of course, offensive to the Chinese community," she said.
"Whether you're born in China, the UK, India, you've got a very significant contribution that you're making to this country."
The Greens' co-leader Marama Davidson said her party had written to Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee to request that he require Peters to formally withdraw his comment and apologise.
"The racism towards our Green MP was absolutely unacceptable, but it also has further consequences on the safety of migrant communities across Aotearoa."
She said the Greens would not go into any governing arrangement with New Zealand First.
