It's heartening to see the adverse criticism raging on the powhiri ritual issue .The New Zealand Parliament is sovereign with its own rules, procedures, standing orders etc which should not be controlled by so-called Maori customs. A powhiri is loosely described as a formal Maori welcoming ceremony.

Clearly Maori interests are not welcoming anyone here; it is quite the reverse.
Parliament is the host and Maori are the visitors. The vast majority of New Zealanders want Parliamentary procedures determined by democratically-elected representatives, not ‘un-elected self-invited guests'.

Every current politician should be canvassed on this issue- those that support the powhiri philosopy should immediately resign and by-elections should held to see what their electorates think about this nonsense.

Although, perhaps wait until the upcoming national General Elections, as no point wasting money on politicians prematurely.

As stated, Parliament is sovereign; it must maintain its own rules and procedures without kowtowing to racial or religious pressures; and there is certainly no place for powhiri to have gender-seating demands.

R Paterson, Matapihi.