Judith Collins
National Party MP

14 May 2006

Labour MPs not aware of powhiri policy

National MP Judith Collins is calling on the Prime Minister to tell her MPs what her policy is regarding the seating of female MPs during government department powhiri.

“Helen Clark may say that it is departmental policy that women are allowed to sit in the front row during such ceremonies, but the message clearly hasn't got through to her own MPs,” says Ms Collins.

“She should not be creating policy off the hoof to get herself out of an embarrassing situation.”

Ms Collins says she is also disappointed the Prime Minister has failed to apologise for repeating false comments about her behaviour and that of her colleagues at a powhiri at a Manurewa CYF facility.

“She has absolutely no grounds to attack the actions of myself or my colleagues at that powhiri. She was given false information and has repeated it, and I’m still waiting for an apology for that.”

Ends

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