Castle-Hughes hits back at PM's taunt

Keisha Castle-Hughes has hit back at Prime Minister John Key's comments telling her to "stick to acting" over her stance on climate change.

The Whale Rider actor told Close Up last night that she would be willing to meet Mr Key to discuss the issue.

"I'd love to sit down and maybe he'd know that - if we sat down and talked - that I know a lot more about it than I think he thinks I do."

Mr Key mentioned the actress, who is an ambassador for Greenpeace's Sign On campaign, while speaking about climate change to an audience in Brisbane on Tuesday. The Sign On campaign is looking for a 40 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020.

Mr Key told the audience: "My advice to Keisha is this: Stick to acting."

Castle-Hughes - who travelled to the Cook Islands to see the impact of climate change there - said she found it "really odd" that Mr Key suggested she give a submission to Climate Change Minister Nick Smith, after she mentioned that she would like to meet him to discuss the issue.

It was odd that the Government was taking submissions about what the public wanted, in regards to climate change, and then be told otherwise through Mr Key's comment about her, she said.

"To come out and say : 'Keisha, stick to acting' - it kind of, I feel as though it really contradicts.

"Okay, yes we really care what the New Zealand public think [and then] okay now we've done that part, be quiet please."

She said the only message she wanted to send to Mr Key was that it was the perfect time to commit to the [40 per cent] emission target.

"I don't envy his position at a time like this ... when there's such a huge [issue] - climate change - now," Castle-Hughes said.

"Having to take action now, it can't be easy."