Slap on wrist for 'civil war' comments but job is safe

Maori Language Commission chief executive Haami Piripi has been censured but has kept his job after causing a row with his "civil war" submission on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

The commission's board said yesterday it had "completed its deliberations" and Mr Piripi had not breached any law or government policy.

"However, as correctly pointed out by the Minister of Maori Affairs [Parekura Horomia] the net effect has been an undermining of confidence in the neutrality of the commission by Government and opposition parties," it said.

"For this reason Mr Piripi has been censured by the board and requested to desist from making further public submissions. Mr Piripi has agreed to this."

Mr Piripi made the written submission to the select committee considering the bill, which has outraged Maori and sparked the hikoi to Parliament. In it he said Maori would never accept the legislation, which could bring New Zealand to its knees and "even civil war".

Opposition MPs demanded he resign and the Government faced questions in Parliament.

Prime Minister Helen Clark and Mr Horomia criticised Mr Piripi for making the submission, but said the Government did not have authority to deal with him because the commission was a Crown entity. It was up to the board to decide what to do.

The board said it was going to work with the State Services Commission, which is establishing a set of standards for Crown entities. In the interim, it had decided to adopt its own set of policies to ensure its employees did not compromise the commission's integrity and observed the principles of fairness and impartiality.

- NZPA