By RNZ

Senior Government minister Chris Bishop says he was frustrated by the politicisation of Stan Walker’s performance at the Aotearoa Music Awards, when he said “what a load of crap”.

During Stan Walker’s performance of Māori Ki te Ao, performers took to the stage with flags displaying Toitū Te Tiriti, a movement born out of opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill and other government legislation.

Bishop, who was in attendance, was seen criticising the performance, and has since said he should have kept the comments to himself.

On Tuesday, Bishop told reporters his comments were not directed specifically at Walker.

“I was frustrated and annoyed by the sort of overt politicking around it,” he said.

“It’s not about Stan Walker, I actually quite like Stan Walker, actually quite liked his performance. It was just the sort of politicisation of it that frustrated me,” he said.

Bishop singled out the Toitū Te Tiriti “banners and paraphernalia” as the source of his frustration, not the performance itself.

He said he would not be apologising to Walker.

“It’s not clear what I’d be apologising for.”

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His comments led to backlash from other performers, including Don McGlashan, who was seen on video confronting Bishop.

The minister said the irony was he was a “huge” Don McGlashan fan.

“I love the Mutton Birds. But Don McGlashan is a noteworthy non-supporter of the National Party. People might remember the 2008 election, in which he expressed some frustration at Anchor Me, which is a great Mutton Birds tune, being used by TVNZ on the election night coverage,” Bishop said.

“His political views are quite well-known, but look it is what it is, he’s entitled to his views in the same way I’m entitled to mine.”

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith, who was also at the event, brushed off whether the performance was controversial.

“There’s always controversy at music awards. It goes without saying,” he said.

Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka said he disagreed with Bishop’s comments, but they were for Bishop to respond to.

Stan Walker speaks to media at the Aotearoa Music Awards at the Viaduct Event Centre in Auckland on May 29. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

“I absolutely love Stan Walker and his commitment to te reo, and the mahi that he does particularly in his engagement with Rātana, the hāhi. I don’t agree with minister Bishop’s comments, however those are a matter for him to comment on,” Potaka said.

Labour’s Māori Development spokesman Willie Jackson said Bishop, as a music fan, should know that music had always been political.

“He should know music better than anyone. Look around the world, people have been doing that for years. Whether it’s Bob Marley, Bono, whatever, it’s been happening, it’s not like something new. He should talk to his Shihad heroes, cos the lead singer there’s got pretty good politics too.”

The Prime Minister told Morning Report he was comfortable with Bishop’s response, and had spoken to him over the weekend.

“I just got his side of the story about what he said and it was exactly as reported. He corrected it well before I got to him ... he just acknowledged he should have kept his thoughts to himself,” Christopher Luxon said.

“The bottom line is your listeners aren’t losing a lot of sleep over what a politician sharing his opinion on some music was about.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Bishop’s behaviour was disappointing, but it was for the Prime Minister to bring his ministers in line.

“You’ve got to remember when you’re a Government minister that you’re on public display all of the time.”

- RNZ