New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is not backing down on his criticism of Ihumātao protest leader Pania Newton.
Jones called Newton a "young putiputi" - meaning a young flower - during his visit to Rātana last week.
A group of almost 100 Maori academics, activists, artists and political commentators have published an open statement calling him a bully, and some say he needs to apologise.
He told Susie Ferguson he stood by the comments, and compared those objecting to his language as namunamu, or geraniums, but also irritants.
