Photo by Craig Baxter.
Mr Cull said the Maori language was one of the only things which set New Zealand apart from the rest of the world, and therefore it needed to be maintained.
''Not just for Maori, but for all New Zealanders.''
Mr Cull usually began public speeches in Maori and said he was using more te reo in his everyday dialogue.
''Its popping up more and more in everyday speech; people talk about their mokopuna, their whakapapa. It's becoming an integral part of kiwitanga.''
