Tamihere radio show confirmed

Maverick Labour MP John Tamihere has signed up to host a three-hour talk-back radio show.

His show is planned to air at 10am on alternate Sundays on new national station Radio Live, programme director Mitch Harris confirmed today.

However, it is suggested it may not happen straight away, as political pressure appears to be being put on Mr Tamihere to not appear until after he returns to Parliament from stress leave.

That leave was imposed after he caused an uproar by making offensive comments about women, gays, colleagues and the Holocaust in a magazine interview.

Experienced broadcaster and former Alliance MP Willie Jackson will alternate in the slot with Mr Tamihere.

Jackson is first-up this Sunday, with Mr Tamihere scheduled to start on April 24.

A spokesman from Prime Minister Helen Clark's office said Mr Tamihere would not appear on the 24th, but Radio Live said it had not been told of any schedule change.

The PM's spokesman said the matter would "continue to be considered" but declined to comment further.

ACT leader Rodney Hide said today the show was likely to provide Opposition parties with a wealth of material to raise in Parliament.

Mr Hide said when National MP John Banks had a radio show in the 1990s Labour monitored it intensely, then threw his comments into then-prime minister Jim Bolger's face in Parliament.

"Banksie got his show and they used to tune in, pick up what he said, then hassle Bolger during the week in Parliament over what Banksie had said," Mr Hide said.

"The Prime Minister's office would have half their staff tuned in listening to Banks and cleaning up afterwards."

Helen Clark must be "furious" over Mr Tamihere's decision, Mr Hide said.

"Having a motormouth on the radio -- she knows -- can get you into trouble so she won't be happy."

National Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee added: "Moments after he got the bollocking of his life from the prime minister he was deep in negotiations with Radio Live about supplementing his parliamentary income with the talkback radio show.

"That to me indicates this man is not on stress leave, he's on holiday leave."

- NZPA