The Maori Party is calling for Maori staff at Government departments to ban powhiri. It follows recent debate over their use after National MPs walked out of a welcome at a youth justice facility in Auckland last month.

Prime Minister Helen Clark then ordered that women could sit in the front row at all powhiri at state facilities. Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says if they are to be done they should be conducted properly or not at all.

Dr Sharples if they cannot be done in conjunction with the local custom then, what is essentially a Maori custom anyway, should be dropped. He says he supports the extension of Maori culture but objects to the Government trying to dictate what form it should take.

Pita Sharples has labelled the Prime Minister arrogant and ethnocentric for her stance over powhiri in Government Departments. Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says Helen Clark does not have the right to impose her cultural values on others and is offended at her stance. He describes her position as snobby.