Helen Clark's comments on John Tamihere's censure

This is an edited version of Prime Minister Helen Clark's comments after the Labour Party caucus censured MP John Tamihere for his published views on colleagues, women, gays and the holocaust.

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

Helen Clark said the comments Mr Tamihere were "grossly offensive".

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

She 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, and we've noted this is consistent with his duty as a Labour member of Parliament to campaign strongly for the re-election of a Labour Government".

Helen Clark said Mr Tamihere understood it would take a long time to recover from his comments.

"I have said to him the challenge for him is to show he has the self-discipline to make that work.

"I believe he presented himself today in a very humble way to the caucus. There was no beating about the bush, there was no attempt to make excuses, there was an acceptance that what had happened should not have happened.

"What I said to the caucus is not only that most people like John at his best but most people know that John at his best has a lot of talent and has contributed a lot to us.

"What we also know is that he is capable of big stumbles, such as the interview with Investigate."

The challenge was for Mr Tamihere to operate at the level the party expected: "And when people operate at the level we expect they have a future".

Asked if she forgave Mr Tamihere Helen Clark said she was "capable of infinite forgiveness, but I like to see reciprocation and if someone presents themself in a humble fashion and says they are going to turn over a chapter then we move on".

Asked if it had been an emotional meeting, Helen Clark said: "It's not emotional. It is simply setting out that people approach this with a mixture of feelings. People like John at his best, at his worst people think what on earth is going on here?"

Helen Clark said the party was focused on the election.

"Sideshows like this are not something I am going to have distracting me," she said.

- NZPA