Row erupts in New Zealand parliament over use of Māori name Aotearoa

While New Zealand is the official name, Aotearoa is also regularly used. Speaker Gerry Brownlee intervened after Winston Peters questioned Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March’s use of the term. Photograph: Praveen Menon/Reuters

The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament has told lawmakers to stop complaining about the use of the Māori name for the country, after the deputy prime minister strongly objected to hearing it in the house.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Gerry Brownlee said that while “New Zealand” is the official name, the Māori name “Aotearoa” is used widely, including on currency and passports.