The Maori Party's submitting and subsequent withdrawing of a member's bill to entrench the Maori seats in Parliament once again highlights just how hamstrung it is by its relationship with National, says Labour MP Mita Ririrui.

"The party is now trying to excuse the exercise as another 'whoops' moment but given the trouble it is having with National over whanau ora, plans to raise GST and the foreshore and seabed, questions have to be raised about whether it was a deliberate attempt to try and flex its muscle.

"Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia used her response to the Prime Minister's statement yesterday to 'remind the House' of the confidence and supply agreement it had with National over whanau ora. It was a pointed reminder.

"Ructions are emerging over the foreshore negotiations and Maori Party MPs are refusing to rule out walking away from the Government over probable GST hikes.

"It's not surprising there is extreme tension. Delivering a foreshore solution and removing GST were core Maori Party elections pledges. As was increasing the minimum wage to $15," Mita Ririnui says.

"Tariana Turia has also made it clear whanau ora is her number one priority. For all these reasons, it wouldn't be surprising if the Maori Party was trying to give National another pointed reminder - perhaps shelved after another phone call by the Prime Minister.

"The other issue this debacle highlights of course, is the Maori Party decision to sell out on another of its bottom line election policies - entrenchment of the Maori seats in Parliament.

"I have a member's bill in the ballot to do just that and when I announced I was putting it in, Tariana Turia and fellow Maori Party MPs refused to rule out supporting it, arguing such a stance wouldn't necessarily be a breach of the confidence and supply agreement," Mita Ririnui says.

"Today we seem to be getting the same deliberately dishonest answers on that front. I'm calling on the Maori Party to stand up and say once and for all whether they will support my bill and honour their election pledge?"