Labour MP Duncan Webb has apologised after tweeting an ill-considered joke at David Seymour, which suggested he didn't like hummus as it was "too close" to Hamas.
Earlier today, the Associate Education Minister said "couscous and hummus" were off the table for free school lunches, as he revamped the programme to save money.
Webb said in a tweet today: "Do you think @dbseymour [David Seymour] doesn't like hummus because it's too close to h@m@s?"
The post was deleted soon after.
The New Zealand Government has designated both the political and military wings of Hamas as a terrorist entity after militants carried out last year's shock October 7 attack.
The Christchurch Central MP apologised, when asked by 1News later in the afternoon, saying "it was an error of judgement. I shouldn’t have tweeted it and I am sorry I did."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the tweet was deleted very soon after it was posted.
"I understand it was deleted in a matter of minutes. I think he probably reflected on it and realised he made a mistake."
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nicola Willis described the tweet as "offensive".
"It is not a laughing matter. There are people dying in an extreme conflict which is, I think, very upsetting to all of us who watch it and I don't think it's a subject for Parliamentary humour," she said, according to RNZ.
Minister says hummus off the table for school lunches
Webb's online jibe came after the Government announced a revamp of the free school lunches programme and Seymour's remark that "woke food" was off the table.
The ACT leader said the revamp would deliver more, while costing less, and showed the Government was treating taxpayers' money with respect.
He said it would mean an end to "quinoa, couscous, and hummus" lunches.
"It will be more like sandwiches and fruit."
Seymour later posted on social media: "We’ll be feeding kids in schools the fruit and sandwiches their parents would give them, not woke food like quinoa and sushi."
Asked about his comments on food choice, Seymour told media he had hummus explained to him earlier that morning.
"I asked them what hummus was.
"They said 'it was like if rice and quinoa had a baby, and it wasn't good.'"
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