Labour leader Helen Clark has laughed off a call from Fiji's interim prime minister for Indo-Fijians in New Zealand to vote her out of office.
Commodore Frank Bainimarama made the comments during an interview on Radio Tarana in Auckland.
He said Miss Clark was fuelling ethnic tensions in Fiji by supporting the nation's ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase.
The coup leader said Mr Qarase would discriminate against Fiji Indians if he had the power.
But Miss Clark says the comments will have no impact on the outcome of the New Zealand election.
"Well, I'm amused really, because he's very quick to complain when anyone says anything about politics in Fiji and then gets on a local radio station and blasts away about our politics.
"I think we've just got to have a chuckle."
A member of the Fiji community in New Zealand says many of its members will listen to the call.
Fiji Club of New Zealand president Alton Shameem says many believe the New Zealand government is interfering with Fijian politics, without justification.
He says many Fiji Indians support Commodore Bainimarama.
