Three female National MPs walked out of an official visit to a Child, Youth and Family facility in protest, saying they were "insulted and abused" when they refused to sit in the back row at a powhiri.

Judith Collins, Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett abandoned a select committee visit to the Korowai Manaaki Youth Justice North centre in Manurewa on Friday afternoon after being rebuked by a kaumatua for breaching powhiri protocol.

Ms Collins said: "It was extremely humiliating to be sitting there and to be insulted and abused."

But the trio's actions have been labelled "a disgraceful display" by Labour's Georgina Beyer, who chairs the social services committee.

The incident developed into a verbal brawl, with the National MPs saying they were humiliated for defending women's rights, and a furious Ms Beyer saying their behaviour embarrassed the whole committee.

The incident is the latest episode in a long-running debate over the role of women at Maori functions.

Two years ago, probation worker Josie Bullock was sacked by the Corrections Department after refusing to sit behind men during a Maori farewell ceremony for prisoners.

Ms Bullock applauded the National MPs for protesting what she called "ancient, stupid attitudes". "Why should that sort of sexism be going on in a Government department? ... I don't see why anyone should have to kow-tow to these silly old customs."

Judith Collins is deputy chair of the social services select committee and National's welfare spokeswoman. Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett are both associate welfare spokeswomen.

The incident arose when the committee members arrived at the CYFs facility about 1pm on Friday and found that contrary to plans, they were to be welcomed by a powhiri.

But Ms Collins and Mrs Tolley refused their assigned seats, and instead sat in the front row with fellow National MP Paul Hutchison and Labour's Harry Duynhoven and Taito Phillip Field.

Ms Beyer, who was leading the delegation, sat further back with the other members of the committee, including Ms Bennett. At the end of the powhiri, the kaumatua reportedly told the gathering he was disappointed the female MPs in the front row had broken protocol and that they had set a bad example for all the young male residents.

Ms Collins and Mrs Tolley then left the facility, accompanied by Ms Bennett - a move which left some Maori women in the audience weeping, according to United Future MP Judy Turner.

Ms Collins said she was "extremely upset" by the kaumatua's comments.

"That bloke could stand up and abuse us, yet we couldn't stand up and give it back, because the moment we tried to speak there we would have been shouted down," she said.