By Maggie Tait of NZPA
Television New Zealand host Paul Henry today urged Prime Minister John Key to select a Governor-General who "looks and sounds more like a New Zealander".
The interview has already sparked two complaints from viewers following this morning's Breakfast programme, where Henry asked Mr Key whether Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand was a New Zealander or not.
When assured by Mr Key that he was Henry asked if he was going to pick someone who looked more like a New Zealander next time.
Sir Anand is New Zealand's first Governor-General of Indian and Pacific ancestry. He had a lengthy career as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman before taking up the job in August 2006.
He was born and raised in Auckland, attending Richmond Road School in Ponsonby, and Sacred Heart College in Glen Innes. His parents were born in Fiji and migrated to New Zealand, his grandparents were born in India and had migrated to Fiji.
On the Breakfast programme this morning Henry asked the Prime Minister about who he was looking to replace Sir Anand with when his five year term ends this year.
"Is he even a New Zealander?" Henry asked.
Mr Key said he was.
"Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time... Are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?"
Mr Key appeared slightly uncomfortable with the line of questioning and moved on to joking about whether Henry wanted the job.
He said whoever was chosen would need to be acceptable to other parties and his selection would be run by Labour.
"This is the Queen's representative and you don't want to embroil her in a domestic political spat."
A spokesman for Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman said Henry's remarks were a matter for TVNZ to comment on.
A spokeswoman for TVNZ said there had been two complaints this morning.
"The audience tell us over and over again that one of the things they love about Paul Henry is that he's prepared to say the things we quietly think but are scared to say out loud," she said.
"The question of John Key is the same, we want the answer but are to scared to ask."
Sir Anand is in India for the Commonwealth Games. His public affairs manager Antony Paltridge told NZPA: "We won't be dignifying that sort of comment with a response."
Labour leader Phil Goff said Sir Anand was as much a New Zealander as he was.
"I would rate him as one of New Zealand's best Governors-General. Anand is a person that grew up in this country, understands this country as well as anybody... a fantastic Governor-General."
The comments were "silly... I think that was Paul Henry being Paul Henry".
Henry previously called Scottish singing star Susan Boyle "retarded" and on another occasion mocked the facial hair of one of his female guests; anti-nuclear campaigner and Greenpeace worker Stephanie Mills.
The Broadcasting Standards Authority upheld complaints in those cases.
NZPA