Gareth Morgan has shown his support for Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell's stance on te reo Māori in Parliament.
Morgan shared a post on Facebook yesterday saying “speaking Te Reo in parliament does not make me feel less able to participate in democracy. It makes me realise how important it is that we learn our official language”.
This came to light after NZ First leader Winston Peters told Flavell to “stop hiding behind the Māori language” after he answered questions in the House in te reo Māori.
In a Te Kāea report, Winston says members should answer questions in the House in either English or both English and Māori.
Gareth Morgan spoke to Kawe Kōrero Reporters and says, “I just enjoy hearing both languages because that’s what makes us New Zealanders.”
He says, “I grew up in Putaruru which in those days was a saw-milling town.”
“Nobody spoke te reo. None of the kiddies spoke te reo at school. In fact it was actively discouraged in those days.”
Since Morgan’s own mokopuna are learning te reo, he says he will be “a very keen student” to learn te reo from them.