A Bay of Plenty MP is shocked at the criticism against a Tauranga school for using te reo Māori on the netball court.

1NewsNow reports that complaints have been made after Te Wharekura o Mauao's netball team used te reo while playing on the court.

Objections have been raised by competing teams.

Tamati Coffey, Labour MP for Waiariki, says it's shocking to hear that in 2019, students of Te Wharekura o Mauao have been shunned for using te reo Māori on the netball court.

'Te Reo Māori is a beautiful language and using it honours our whakapapa and connects us to our culture. Everyone should take up the challenge and learn.

'The criticism levelled at the rangatahi of Te Wharekura o Mauao is on the wrong side of history.”

Tamati says the Government is committed to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and has made it clear that the national language will be an integral part of all students' education by 2025.

'Our community will have already seen that Budget 2019 also delivered over $30m towards initiatives that support our goal of having 1 million basic te reo Māori speakers by 2040, $32m for Kōhanga Reo recognising the role the movement plays in our tāonga's future, and supported the launch of our Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, which supports our teachers and education staff to grow their correct use of te reo Māori, to increase its presence in our kura and teaching programmes.

'Te Wharekura o Mauao, keep doing yo thing!"