'Dot dot dot' insult a bit over the top for sensitive Hide

Rodney Hide Act leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide doesn't mind being called a buffoon, a jerk-off and worse, but being called a "dot dot dot" proved beyond the pale yesterday.

National backbencher Tau Henare this week abused Mr Hide to journalists over his threat to quit as Local Government Minister if Maori seats were included in a proposed Auckland Super City.

Mr Hide laughed off the waves of insults, which included a four-letter word beginning with c.

But he wasn't laughing in Parliament yesterday when Labour deputy leader Annette King asked Prime Minister John Key if he was worried about the "deteriorating relationship between his party and his confidence and supply partners through the media, as seen in comments made by Tau Henare, who called the Act Party leader, among other things, a buffoon, a jerk-off, and a dot dot dot".

Mr Hide was quick to object. "I take serious and grave offence at being called a dot dot dot by the acting leader of the Opposition."

Labour's Trevor Mallard wanted his say and world-weary Speaker Lockwood Smith let him have a go: "We have wasted so much time now that I may as well hear the Hon Trevor Mallard".

Mr Mallard simply wanted to suggest that National Party MP John Carter offer his views. Mr Carter once garbled the words cunning stunt, for which he apologised to the House.

- NZPA