Ngāti Ruanui is demanding an apology from Resources Minister Shane Jones for suggesting the iwi lacks intelligence during a Parliament debate this week.
Its tumu whakahaere (leader), Haimona Maruera Jnr said Jones' comments were "shameful" and "an attack on the mana of our entire iwi".
Jones was thrown out of the House on Wednesday after taking jabs at Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and the iwi.
He was arguing that some "luddites" and "troublemakers" did not see the importance or economic value in mining for critical minerals.
Ngarewa-Packer interrupted Jones to point out he'd "failed" after a mining company withdrew its fast-track application to mine the Taranaki seabed. Ngāti Ruanui had opposed the application.
Jones said it was important that the $1.4 billion sector be enabled to grow.
"Whether it's through the fast-track legislation ... and I accept ... that in some areas, the growth in intellect and the growth in intelligence will take a lot longer, and I fear that the longest period of time it will take will be around Ngāti Ruanui and Taranaki."
Ngarewa-Packer labelled Jones "insecure" because "that little iwi took you on and won" in their battle against mining the Taranaki seabed.
After more back and forth between the pair, the Speaker Gerry Brownlee told Jones to "haere rā ... off you go", and he left the House.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust said on Friday it had lodged a formal complaint with Brownlee and wanted Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro to encourage the minister to apologise.
Its tumu whakahaere, Haimona Maruera Jnr said Jones' comments were "shameful" and "an attack on the mana of our entire iwi".
"This is not the first time the Minister has made disparaging comments referencing Ngāti Ruanui in the New Zealand Parliament," he said.
"When a minister of the crown uses the debating chamber to insult a Treaty Partner, and does so while hiding behind legal immunity, the relationship risks being fundamentally fractured."
Maruera Jnr said Jones had attacked the iwi because it holds a different view on mining, which showed "a shocking display of arrogance".
The comments were an affront to the Ngāti Ruanui Claims Settlement Act which was built on a foundation of mutual respect and a formal Crown apology, he said.
Jones, the Speaker's office, and the Governor-General's office have been approached for comment.
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
