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The government is playing down talk of a spat developing between two of its political allies over Maori representation on Auckland's new super city.
Act's Rodney Hide, the Local Government Minister, is threatening
to resign as a Minister if Maori seats get the go-ahead. However,
the Maori Party says he is just grandstanding.
Hide says you have to compromise a lot in politics but there are
some things that you cannot do.
"And one of them is to introduce separate seats and reserve seats on the basis of tribal groups."
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has hit back with strong criticism of Hide.
"He is clearly trying to bully the government into making a decision that actually goes his way," she says.
National now faces a predicament with Hide pulling one way, saying no to Maori seats and the Maori Party pulling the other way, calling for three Maori seats.
"He knows very clearly what the Maori Party position is on this matter and I don't think it's helpful to start negotiating through the media as Rodney Hide is attempting to do," says Turia.
Hide has moved to mend fences with the Maori Party.
"I apologise to them actually, because it wasn't about grandstanding," he says.
The scrap blew up because of a leaked email. It was from National MP Tau Henare to his colleagues. The email condemns Act's position and says the issue is far too important for a small player like Act to decide alone.
The Acting Prime Minister, Tony Ryall, is dampening down the issue.
"I think Act's position is very well known to New Zealanders and Mr Hide has commented on that. But he's very solidly behind the government and the Prime Minister," says Ryall.
So will Hide still be a Minister in a month's time?
"We'll see," says Hide.
The select committee report on the super city will be back in parliament next month.
