National MP Simon Bridges has railed against the government's move to protect Maori wards, describing it as insulting as a Maori man.

Labour has begun rushing through legislation under urgency to do away with a public veto on Maori wards.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the debate has been decades in the making and change is well overdue.

"It's an idea whose time has come. I'm proud that we're taking these steps to push through a change that is long-awaited," says Mahuta.

In 2002, the then-Labour government - of which Mahuta was a part - changed the law to allow councils to set up Maori wards.

But the legislation included a provision allowing a tiny minority of voters, just 5 percent, to force a public referendum and ultimately veto a council's decision.

Since then, 24 councils have tried to introduce the Maori wards - with only three successful.

Times have changed, says Mahuta.

"I'm ... proud of the many mayors and councillors who have lobbied me over the last four years to say 'let's just get on with it, there's too much to do to dilly dally, let's get on with it'," she says.

Nanaia Mahuta says mayors and councillors want the right to establish Māori wards. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas.

But sentiment has not universally shifted - with the Opposition furious at the move.

During the first reading last night, National MPs criticised the legislation as anti-democratic, rushed through by a Labour Party which never campaigned on the matter and with only a week for the public to give feedback.

Bridges told the House it was personally insulting to suggest he - and other Maori - need special and separate treatment.

"Because as a Maori man, it says I'm not good enough because of my whakapapa, because of the colour of my skin ... this bill to me says I'm not good enough to win a vote of a non-Maori, well I am good enough," he says.

The remarks prompted a fiery response from Labour's Willie Jackson.

"Simon Bridges who tries to advocate a Maori position, who should not be the MP for Tauranga, Jan Tinetti should be, he only squeezed home because he forgot about his Maori side yet again during the Tauranga campaign," he says.

The Maori Party also slapped down National, saying the party should know better - particularly given its recent commitment to stand in the Maori seats at the next general election.

Its co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the time has come to do away with a racist provision.

"I'm sure a week will be enough time for the racists to speak. This is a huge win for Maori and for those who have stood up against racism and fought for mana whenua representation in local government," she says.

The Maori Affairs Select Committee will now consider the legislation and hear from the public, before reporting back next Monday.

-RNZ