National MP won't be drawn on Israel Folau debate

Alfred Ngaro has been a list MP for the National Party since 2011. Photo / John Stone

National MP Alfred Ngaro won't be drawn on Israel Folau's views on gay people but says he believes any person who does not have a relationship with God will go to hell.

Ngaro was asked on Q+A last night by Jack Tame if he agreed with what the rugby player said.

Put it this way, Ngaro said, all people should have the freedom to express their views "unless that view incites violence or harm towards other people".

"That's where we would all draw the line."

Tame pressed on whether the list MP agreed with what Folau said in the anti-gay social media post that got him sacked.

"I agree with what the Bible says," Ngaro said.

"The Bible is broad, it talks about some key principles that are about a relationship between God and people.

"It talks about the things that we do right, and the things that we do wrong."

Tame then asked Ngaro if he believed gay people were going to hell.

"All people who do not have a genuine relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ … will be committed to hell," Ngaro said.

"It's not my role to judge whether God will accept them or not. What is part of my role is to love and accept all people."

Israel Folau is seeking up to $10 million in damages from RA after it terminated his contract following an Instagram post. Photo / Photosport

In a democratic world people could agree to disagree, he said.

Ngaro confirmed on Q+A that he did not contribute to Folau's fundraising page for his legal challenge.

He also confirmed that National Party leader Simon Bridges did not offer him a seat when he was considering starting his own Christian Party.

Ngaro said he has a place inside the National Party as a Conservative Christian.

Asked whether New Zealand should be a secular or a Christian nation, Ngaro said: "The fact is we should be acknowledging that we have a Christian heritage, a Christian base and we shouldn't be afraid of that."

On other issues, Ngaro said he was against removing abortion from the Crimes Act and he does not believe that gender is non-binary.