A younger member of the Harawira whanau says Winston Peters is out of line in his attack on the family.
The New Zealand First leader told an audience in Gisborne at the weekend that the Harawira family were self-anointed Maori leaders who had been on the state's teat their whole lives.
Twenty-eight-year-old Tumamao Harawira, a Maori Television and radio broadcaster, says that while it may be okay for Mr Peters to criticise his uncle, Maori Party MP Hone Harawira, it's not okay to have a go at anyone carrying the family name.
Mr Harawire told Waatea News he thought that that was a bit underhand and below the belt.
Using Mr Peters's yardstick, he said, every police officer, teacher and government employee could be considered to be supping at the
state teat.
