KEY POINTS:
There has been a fiery debate in Parliament over a bill which aimed to eliminate all references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi from legislation. Doug Woolerton's private member's bill was voted down at its second reading by a massive margin last night, but not before one of his New Zealand First colleagues took a swipe at the Maori Party.
Pita Paraone lambasted the way the party has represented the bill, accusing it of peddling a litany of lies by claiming it undermines the Treaty. He says the Maori Party have let the veil slip from their separatist agenda.
The Maori Party had condemned the bill, although MP Hone Harawira was scathing that Labour's Maori Caucus supported it at its first reading. He said it was like turkeys voting for an early Christmas.
National MP Georgina te Heuheu is accusing New Zealand First of playing the race card with the legislation, saying it is something they delight in doing. She warns that will leave a dangerous legacy.
The Greens also rubbished it, with MP Sue Bradford describing it as the one of the most ridiculous pieces of legislation she had seen in her time in Parliament.
- Newstalk ZB
