Andrew Little joins Waitangi boycott

Controversy is continuing to brew at Te Tii Marae, with Labour leader Andrew Little threatening to skip the marae if he's Prime Minister next year.

"I don't agree with the media black-out and I will tell them that," he said on Sunday.

But after he'd gone inside, the media black-out was in full force at the gates - no journalism of any kind allowed on the marae.

Labour and Greens allowed journalists to join them on the marae, but marae officials soon escorted them off.

Opportunities Party leader Gareth Morgan says there's been some serious infighting on the issue.

"It was quite clear from the comments made inside that there's not unity of view amongst the marae anyway," he says.

Mr Little says Prime Minister Bill English ran scared from Te Tii, but he was prepared to talk.

"He made his decision, which was about running away from debate. I am prepared to step up [and] front up."

But he promised he would boycott next year, if they keep blocking journalists' access.

Newshub.