Tamihere censured by Labour Party caucus

John Tamihere arrives at Parliament to face the music. Picture / Mark Mitchell

John Tamihere was apparently thrown a lifeline today after being censured by the Labour Party caucus.

Prime Minister Helen Clark told reporters that caucus has passed a resolution severely censuring Mr Tamihere for grossly offensive comments but everyone in the caucus liked Mr Tamihere.

"John at his best is a wonderful colleague and puts 150 per cent in," Helen Clark said.

"John's known to stumble pretty badly and as he said last week he made the biggest mistake of his life which is damaging to him, and our concern is that it doesn't damage our party."

Mr Tamihere appeared with the Prime Minister after the meeting. He said: "This gives me a chance of rehabilitating myself and I am grateful for that."

Asked questions by reporters he said he should not comment further, to which Helen Clark said: "I think so."

Mr Tamihere will be on leave for the near future. Parliament goes into a fortnight's recess next week and he would "probably" return to work in Parliament after that, Helen Clark said.

Mr Tamihere was unlikely to put his name up for a Cabinet vacancy if one became available, she said.

Labour leaders had advised Mr Tamihere to take some leave and stay away from caucus, after comments that he was sick of hearing about the holocaust were revealed at the weekend. But Mr Tamihere has insisted on attending.

He entered the caucus meeting without saying anything to journalists 15 minutes after other MPs began their meeting.

He was flanked by Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and appeared to be very nervous and distressed.

Mr Tamihere has publicly apologised for offence caused by his comments, but has refused to retract their content, inflaming colleagues.

Helen Clark said after the meeting that the comments Mr Tamihere made in a recent Investigate magazine article and further remarks released to Sunday newspapers by journalist Ian Wishart were "grossly offensive".

She said they ran counter to the Labour Party's principles, policies of inclusion and respect for all.

In his comments Mr Tamihere offended women, Jews, and colleagues. Helen Clark said the resolution of censure condemned those comments.

"We have rejected the views he expressed and we have disassociated ourselves from them, we deplore the ill-disciplined behaviour," she said.

The Prime Minister said the caucus noted Mr Tamihere's statement "that in the run up to the general election he will be putting all his efforts into winning the Maori electorates for Labour".

Mr Tamihere's decision to attend today's caucus came after he received strong support at a meeting in his Tamaki Makaurau electorate last night.

Te Tai Tokerau Labour MP Dover Samuels said he spoke to his friend Mr Tamihere this morning confirming he would apologise to colleagues.

"I said it's better late than never. At the end of the day he's going to make his own decision but he's decided to front up to his caucus and he's rung leaders of the Jewish community," Mr Samuels said

"He must apologise unconditionally and from the heart."

Mr Samuels said Mr Tamihere has "a hell of a lot to offer" the country and the comments were a terrible error made because of stress.

"He's needed his own space, he should have taken a break after he was cleared by the SFO over the other allegations. He's been under tremendous stress -- I can relate to that."

Mr Tamihere covered stress up by different ways, Mr Samuels said.

"Attitude and sometimes smart jokes. But he's just made a grave error of judgment and he recognises that and the only way he can redeem himself is to show humility and humbleness to the people that he has wounded and hurt, including his very good personal friend Clayton Cosgrove."

Mr Tamihere had told Mr Samuels he regretted not apologising more fully after the comments were published in Investigate magazine.

- NZPA, HERALD ONLINE STAFF