MP 'threw up hands, not fingers'

Tau Henare. Photo / Supplied

National MP and Te Atatu candidate Tau Henare is denying he gave a woman the finger during an alleged road rage incident last week, saying that he threw his hands up in despair.

Yesterday the Herald revealed Aucklander Cicelia Holliday had written to police and Prime Minister John Key complaining about Mr Henare. She was driving with her 12-year-old daughter in Avondale when Mr Henare's car pulled in front without indicating, and she tooted her horn.

"I noticed the driver give me the finger though the driver's window ... Then he gave me the finger through the rear window with his left hand," she wrote in her letter to Mr Key.

Later, when side by side at a red light, Mrs Holliday said Mr Henare wound down his window and shouted.

Yesterday Mr Henare, who was driving his red Audi station wagon emblazoned with his name and photograph, said he did indicate and didn't know why she had honked at him.

"I indicated to go right, she took offence at that. I jumped in her lane, I jumped out of her lane, we came together and I said, 'What happened to common courtesy?' twice. And I turned left to go on my way."

He said he did not give Mrs Holliday the fingers. "I threw my hands up in despair."

Labour MPs taunted Mr Henare in the House yesterday asking questions about road rage. "Does driving a red station wagon splashed with National Party colours constitute a road safety hazard?" asked Darien Fenton. Clare Curran mocked Mr Henare on twitter: "What you need is acupuncture and some walks on the beach."