Mihingarangi Forbes says incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon can't avoid Māori media and the tough questions "forever".
Forbes, who co-hosts Mata on RNZ, joined the Newshub Nation special on Sunday alongside Dita De Boni from NBR, and Mark Jennings from Newsroom.
Host Rebecca Wright opened the kōrero by talking about Luxon's stellar rise to the top of politics.
All three panellists were critical of Luxon.
Jennings reckoned Luxon, not being steeped in politics, "almost shows a disrespect" for the process.
"He wants to be a CEO - well you can't be a prime minister and act like a CEO. Politics is about emotion.
"If he continues to act like 'I don't want to talk to Newshub, I don't want to talk to this', that's not going to work," Jennings said.
Meanwhile De Boni didn't think Luxon won the election for National on the back of his own personal effort.
"I mean he was bankrolled by the richest people in New Zealand."
De Boni said Luxon lost debates, isn't a people-person, and only won because "he represents everything that people with a lot of money would like to see as leader".
"You're right there was a lot of money behind that campaign," Forbes agreed.
"We saw that on social media."
It was at that point Forbes revealed that Luxon had consistently declined requests to speak with Māori media - including the day after the election.
"I think going forward, today we saw it this morning - they wouldn't front [National MP] Tama Potaka for The Hui.
"Christopher Luxon himself wouldn't front up for Māori current affairs. At some stage he's going to have to front up and be transparent about his policies to people like me."
Luxon didn't speak to Māori media much during the campaign, Forbes argued, "because of the policies of ACT" and "because they [National] hadn't ruled them [ACT] out".
For months ACT has been pledging to hold a referendum on Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty if elected, which is "the founding document of this country", Forbes said.
After weeks of questions, Luxon only dashed those plans last week on The Hui for the first time.
"I guess those are difficult questions to answer, and it's probably safer to stay away from them," Forbes concluded.
"But you can't do it forever."
Watch the full video above.
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