Mana Party leader Hone Harawira was talking about National's Maori MPs when he referred to Prime Minister John Key's "little house niggers", he says.

Harawira was responding to Key's refusal to let National MPs attend a hui on water rights to be hosted by the Maori King, next week.

Harawira took to Facebook and said they would likely have to go, or at least send the party's third MP Te Ururoa.

"What's the bet that Tari and Pete cop so much flak from Maori for saying that they're not going to the hui on water - that they find some reason to change their mind and say they're gonna go now (or send Te Ururoa). Knowing how the Maori Party works, they'll have to clear it with John Key first though," he wrote.

"Time John Key realised a few home truths like (1) he can tell his little house niggers what to do, but (2) the rest of us don't give a shit for him or his opinions!"

Harawira told Stuff that the later comment was not a reference to Turia and Sharples.

"What's that got to do with Tari and Pete?"

He said he was referring to National's own Maori MPs; such as Paula Bennett, Tau Henare, Simon Bridges, Hekia Parata.

"You've got to be careful about trying to draw dots here... I made a very clear statement about John Key and the way that he treats his MPs."

National's Maori MPs were strong and intelligent leaders within Maoridom.

"They should be able to make up their own minds as to whether or not they will accept an invitation to attend a national Maori hui on water.

"If people want me to stop using language from Alabama in the 1950s, maybe they should go back to John Key and tell him to stop treating his Maori MPs like he's a plantation owner from Alabama in the 1950s."

King Tuheitia, called the hui for next week after the Government rejected recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal to hold a Maori summit on the issue.

It followed a Tribunal report which said the Government would breach the Treaty if it went ahead with its partial sale of four state-owned power companies before resolving Maori claims within their catchment areas.

The Government has also rejected calls for a national water settlement and Key said yesterday said he wouldn't attend the hui because the Government wanted to settle the issue through direct negotiation with individual iwi.

The Prime Minister also ruled out any of National's Maori MPs attending.

NOT THE FIRST CONTROVERSY

It's not the first time Harawira has blurted out controversial comments.

He once described Pakeha as "white motherf*****s" who had been "ripping us off for centuries" in an email to former Waitangi Tribunal director Buddy Mikaere.

Harawira also said that he would feel uncomfortable if one of his seven children came home with a Pakeha partner. He later backtracked and said he wasn't a racist.

The Government has been negotiating with the Iwi Leaders Group - which represents New Zealand's largest tribes - on water issues, not directly with the Maori Council.

The hui will be held at the Turangawaewae Marae at Ngaruawahia next week and spokesman Tuku Morgan today said King Tuheitia never intended to invite the Government.

"This was always going to be our time. The Government have their own agenda. They have decided to be selective about who they talk to. The issue of water impacts on Maori across this country and it is not the sole prerogative of small cluster of iwi."

A number of Maori MPs from various parties had rung and indicated they would like to attend and the hui would welcome them, he said.

The Government this week pushed out a share float for Mighty River Power, the first partial sale of four state-owned energy companies, from November until next March.

Cabinet rejected most of the Tribunal's recommendations which also included a "shares-plus" deal to give iwi claimants veto rights over management decisions.

The Government will spend five weeks consulting with iwi over the shares-plus option but Key has said it is unlikely to change its position.

- © Fairfax NZ News