Chris Bishop's Comments During Stan Walker's Performance Have 'No Place' At Aotearoa Music Awards
At Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Thursday night Bishop was captured on video declaring "what a load of crap" during Walker's performance, which prominently featured Toitū Te Tiriti banners.
Some people in front of him were on their feet dancing and waving tino rangatiratanga flags.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the producers said they were committed to creating a "safe, respectful and inclusive environment" and that these "expectations were clearly communicated to all who attended the event".
"The inappropriate comments made by Hon. Chris Bishop during Stan Walker's performance have no place at the Aotearoa Music Awards," the statement read.
"The Awards respect and honour te ao Māori and we were proud to support Stan with his vision for his powerful rendition of Māori Ki Te Ao."
In a statement to RNZ, Bishop admitted he said "what a lot of crap" and something about performative acclaim. He said it referred to what he called the overtly political branding on display.
Renowned musician Don McGlashan was seen on the video confronting Bishop, but McGlashan said he did not realise at first that it was the minister.
"I could hear an enormous amount of ranting, kind of against the whole thing. I didn't get the full gist of it, but it was basically - 'the hīkoi is ages ago, sit down everybody' - so this geezer was just ranting away and telling everybody to sit down," McGlashan said.
"After a while, I turned to him and said 'Ah, shut up you dickhead' and I looked at him and I thought, 'Oh, I know that face'. Then he said, 'What did you say to me?'".
McGlashan said that he again told Bishop to "'shut up you dickhead', and he said, 'I could say the same to you,' and I said, 'Well, I wasn't talking and you were.' And then I realised I was talking to the leader of the House".
Another witness said the minister appeared to them to be drunk.
"For him to take an instant dis-gratification towards Toitū Te Tiriti and that movement and to say that it's a load of crap is actually highly offensive. I'm very worried for somebody of high power in this country to be making those sorts of remarks in public," they said.
Bishop has since acknowledged his comments were poorly judged, telling RNZ: "On reflection, I should have kept my thoughts to myself."
However, he has denied making specific remarks about the hīkoi - the protest marches that have taken place across Aotearoa in support of upholding the Treaty of Waitangi - and has suggested the backlash amounts to a "political smear job".
"Chris is a long-time supporter of New Zealand music and went to the Awards to celebrate successful Kiwi artists," a spokesperson said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has declined to comment further, with his office saying the PM had nothing to add to Bishop's statement.
David Seymour defended Bishop shortly after he was sworn in as deputy prime minister on Saturday.
"Just because you become a senior minister, it doesn't mean you should stop having opinions," Seymour said.
"It might well be that, based on what Chris saw in that moment, he was correct. It may be that people will agree with him."
Seymour said he believed New Zealanders would draw their own conclusions.
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