TV host Rowan Dean launched an anti-te reo Māori tirade on his primetime show on Sky News Australia. Photo / Sky News Australia
Six60 has fired back at an Australian TV broadcaster's tirade against te reo Māori on their tour poster.
Rowan Dean, a host on Sky News Australia, attacked the flyer from "Sixty Sixty ... or something," saying there was a lot of "new language" being used.
"It's all in Māori. There's not a word of English anywhere in there," the host of Outsiders said, claiming the poster "excluded half of New Zealand".
Six60 chose to take a more upbeat tone in a rebuttal posted on Instagram.
The band featured Dean's rant in the precursor to a video that showcased kapa haka performances to roaring fans, alongside several widely-embraced components of te ao Māori.
"Some guy" - perhaps referring to Rowan's 'Sixty Sixty...or something' had this to say about our tour poster and his free speech," the band wrote.
"We got called out for putting Te Reo on our poster, saying it's against free speech.
"Six60 is all about bringing people together, no matter the language."
The band finished by extending a tono for free tickets to Rowan, should he wish to broaden his cultural horizons to embrace te ao Māori.
"Free tickets to this guy if he wants to experience some positivity," the group said.
"Much love, Sixty 60 or whatever."
