New Zealand's prime minister is defending the removal of basic Māori phrases meaning “hello” and “New Zealand” from a lunar new year invitation to an Australian official. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's not a snub of the Indigenous language by New Zealand’s government. Instead, he jokes about the intelligence of neighboring Australians.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The removal of basic Māori phrases meaning “hello” and “ New Zealand ” from a Māori lunar new year invitation to an Australian official was not a snub of the Indigenous language by New Zealand ’s government, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Wednesday, seemingly joking that it instead reflected the “incredibly simple” language required when speaking to Australians.
The prime minister appeared to indulge in a favorite pastime of New Zealanders, who enjoy a friendly rivalry with their closest neighbors: calling Australians stupid. The invitation offered a welcome new focus after accusations of bullying, racism and insults have increased in New Zealand’s Parliament in recent weeks, with lawmakers in tears and the prime minister urging “all political leaders to watch their rhetoric.”Spiraling drone-spying scandal at Olympics risks damage to Canadian soccer ahead of 2026 World CupAlso Wednesday, Luxon was asked by opposition leader Chris Hipkins about a series of inflammatory remarks he said lawmakers had recently made.
They included “tēnā koe” — a formal way to say hello, learned by New Zealand children in their first year of elementary school — and “Aotearoa,” a commonplace Māori name for New Zealand.
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