Mr Tau took a leave of absence as the chair of the Ngapuhi runanga and stepped down as chair of Ngapuhi's settlement negotiation body Tuhoronuku after he was charged. He was at the iwi leaders' meetings with Government ministers at Waitangi.
National's Steven Joyce was not as enthusiastic as Mr Tau about the efforts of protesters after being the brunt of one yesterday. Asked if he agree with Mr Tau's sentiments, Mr Joyce said: "I think Sonny said sometimes their methods we didn't agree with, and I certainly agree with that."
Mr Joyce had his own run-in with a protester yesterday when Josie Butler threw a novelty fake penis at his face during a media standup. Mr Joyce said today he was not worried about a repeat performance at the Dawn Service: "but come and stand next to me." He has now left Waitangi.
Labour leader Andrew Little said he agreed with Mr Tau's sentiments about protesters. "Yeah, I think he's absolutely right. Protesters are a vital form of our political institutions and when people are aggrieved or have a point to make they should feel free to make their point."
Mr Little also responded to Mr Tau's comment that "[Little] had a lot more work to do," saying Mr Tau had said a similar thing about previous Leaders of the Opposition.
In November, Mr Tau pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and hunting kereru after he was caught with the endangered birds at Invercargill airport last year.
He is due to face a third charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice early this year.