Angry Delamere to challenge PM at Waitangi

Former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere plans to stand and challenge the Prime Minister when he goes on to Waitangi's Te Tii Marae this morning.

Mr Delamere is angry about immigration policies he says affect Maori children with a parent who is an overstayer.

He said sending parents out of the country not only directly affected their children but also caused "collateral damage" to wider society. "Who picks up the bill if a parent is booted back to China or India or the Pacific Islands? The taxpayer does."

Mr Delamere said he had 101 New Zealand families on his books where one parent is a citizen and their spouse is an overstayer.

He said one of his Maori female clients who has a partner who is an overstayer was planning to speak on the marae, an act which defies protocol.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark was reduced to tears in 1998 when Titewhai Harawira challenged her right to speak.

Kaumatua Kingi Taurua said the marae atea - where debate naturally occurred - was an appropriate place for Mr Delamere to talk to John Key. But he wondered if there would be time. "The Prime Minister is going to [an iwi leaders forum] with those bloody runangas [Maori organisations] but he's not talking to the people on the ground."

The issue of women speaking on marae was something men had to get their heads around, he said.

"Some of us don't allow that to happen but I think we have to look at it. I would really like the men to open their eyes to it. Maybe the women speak from behind the men, I don't know."