Face of the Day

New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones is blaming a “virus of wokeism” in the media for condemnation of his remark that politicians need to “take off your kneepads” when hosting foreign leaders.

Jones denies he was being crass when he stated at his party convention on Saturday, “Labour Party, National Party, ACT Party, Green Party, the next time you go to an ethno-nationalist rally to receive a foreign leader, take off your kneepads” – an apparent dig at Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Matariki weekend.

Luxon has said he believed the comment was “crass and unprofessional” but added the New Zealand First MP should be “responsible for his language and his comments”.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said yesterday he would have sacked Jones for his comment, had he been a Labour MP, and restated his commitment that Jones would never be a minister under a government he led. NZ First has ruled out working with Labour after the election.

Jones told reporters at parliament today his comment was a “colourful expression” and was dismayed by how it had been interpreted.

“Sadly people have read luridity into it, whereas all I was meaning is that when you go to an event hosted for ethno-national purposes for a foreign leader; number one, don’t bow down.”

Asked whether it was crass, Jones replied: “I think that’s a comment on the wokeism that riddles the modern media, that a harmless and innocuous expression that could have been to do with gardening, volleyball has been turned into some risqué trope.”

On being reminded Luxon had deemed it crass, Jones said Luxon was “responding to media questions”.

“Those questions are being driven by this ongoing virus of wokeism that the Matua doesn’t like,” Jones said, referring to himself.

NZ Herald