Face of the Day

Parliament’s Speaker, Gerry Brownlee told Shane Jones to “haere rā”, after the regional development minister lobbed three insults at Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

During a series of pre-prepared “patsy” questions from an NZ First backbencher on Wednesday, Jones decided to take aim at Ngarewa-Packer. He told Stuff that Ngarewa-Packer had been “very rude” to him while he was answering the questions.

However, her comments were not picked up clearly by parliament’s microphones.

Jones’ one-liners started with a slight against the intelligence of Ngarewa-Packer and her iwi, Ngāti Ruanui.

“I accept, Mr Speaker, 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 in Taranaki,” he said.

Jones had been answering questions about mining and critical minerals. He managed to make a joke from that topic.

“It could well be that critical minerals are needed for hearing aids. And I rather fear, Mr Speaker, that hearing aids are needed for the member from Western Māori sitting to my right,” he said.

Brownlee interrupted, saying there was “no need to make those comments”.

But Jones continued, pleading that Ngarewa-Packer would “stop talking like a wounded hen and listen to the matua”.

Brownlee put an end to that line of questioning, but discussion continued. Then Brownlee told Jones, “haere rā indeed, off you go.”

Stuff