Prime Minister John Key's decision to stay away was meant to be for the protection of his other ministers - little did he know he was putting Steven Joyce in the firing line of a flying pink dildo.
As the most senior Government minister left in Waitangi, it was left to Mr Joyce to front the media after ministers met with the iwi leaders forum.
After mounting his defence of Mr Key for his decision to stay away, Mr Joyce was in the midst of saying what ministers had learned from their meetings with the iwi leaders "we always take something away from every meeting we have," when the dildo hit him dead on the snoz.
"That's for raping our sovereignty" the woman called. After a moment's surprise, Joyce said "oh yes yes" before laughing and adding "good o."