Wong 'can look after herself'

Pansy Wong

List MP Pansy Wong says she can do without the chivalry of National Party colleague Tau Henare, who protested in Parliament on Wednesday at what he thought was mimicking of her Chinese accent by Immigration Minister David Cunliffe.

"I told him that being a fourth-term MP I am quite capable of looking after myself."

She said she had not heard Mr Cunliffe advising her to "wead" a document rather than read a document, and therefore could not take offence. She also accepted his word that it had not been deliberate.

And she wanted Parliament to be "a robust place".

She said she had no idea why Mr Henare had done what he had done.

Perhaps it was that male MPs believed a petite MP needed protection. But she believed he was genuine in his concern. She described the whole thing as "a Chinese storm in a teacup".

Pansy Wong also defended the fact that she herself made fun of her name on her personal website, with her fortnightly newsletter called "What's Going wONg?" - a play on "What's Going On." It showed her sense of humour.

"I always laugh at my height - lack of it."

Mr Cunliffe said he had not been aware of what he had said but had telephoned Pansy Wong immediately to assure her it had not been deliberate.