Suspended MP Meka Whaitiri 'humbled' by support

Suspended minister Meka Whaitiri says she is co-operating fully with a ministerial inquiry into her conduct with a staff member but has thrown no light on what took place.

"I am co-operating with the investigation and I've got no further comment," she told reporters at Parliament.

She spoke briefly about the suspension after speaking Parliament today to support a Treaty of Waitangi settlement bill relating to Te Rohe o Te Wairoa in her Ikaroa Rawhiti electorate.

She said she had had huge support in the wake of her suspension, which was announced on Wednesday last week by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"Unbelievable support and I'm very humbled by that," she said.

"People are so pleased that I'm here supporting their kaupapa which is this settlement bill, which is why I've come here.

"My people here today have made me realise that there is a bigger cause in life and that's why I came to Parliament, to do these things."

Whaitiri was stood down after a new press secretary laid a complaint with Ministerial Services, the employer of ministerial staff, alleging the minister had shoved her.

The alleged incident took place in Gisborne on Monday last weerek where Waitiri was accompanying Ardern to a summit with the East Coast iwi of Ngati Porou.

But Whaitiri and the staffer dispute what actually happened and it is understood there were no witnesses.

Whaitiri is Customs Minister and Associate Minister of Forestry, Agriculture, Crown-Maori Relations and Local Government.

She has been working in her electorate this week but said she planned to be back at Parliament next week.