Tau Henare

Wellington, June 6 NZPA - National's Tau Henare says tobacco company Philip Morris may be forced to appear before the Maori Affairs select committee's inquiry into the tobacco industry.

British and American Tobacco have previously fronted but Mr Henare, who chairs the committee, told the Sunday Star-Times that Philip Morris had refused.

"It's about respect for the constitutionality of the Parliament. We make laws, we get rid of laws, and I think we deserve a bit of respect," Mr Henare said.

He wrote to the company last week warning it he would ask Parliament's Speaker Lockwood Smith to issue a summons to force it to show up.

Under Parliament's rules this is possible but is rarely used.

A spokeswoman for Philip Morris said the company "would consider the committee's request to appear before it."