Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden has dropped the c-bomb in Parliament in protest over the slur being directed at her and other female ministers in a newspaper column.
It's thought to be the first time the word has been recorded in the debating chamber.
The coalition this week strongly objected to a Sunday Star-Times opinion piece which used the c-word in connection to the female ministers who had overseen the pay equity shake-up.
Van Velden was given the opportunity to respond after Labour's Jan Tinetti asked her a question about the piece during Parliament's Question Time.
"I do not agree with the clearly gendered and patronising language that [national affairs editor for the Sunday Star-Times] Andrea Vance used to reduce senior Cabinet ministers to girlbosses, hype squads, references to girl math and c****," van Velden said.
"The women of this government are hard-working, dedicated and strong. No woman in this Parliament, nor in this country, should be subjected to sex-based discrimination."
Van Velden then turned the question back on Tinetti: "It's a very curious feminist moment when a former Minister for Women repeats parts of a clearly misogynistic article in this House."
The statement was met by loud applause from the government benches.
MPs are typically forbidden from using "unbecoming" language and insults during Parliamentary debates.
Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee declined to interrupt van Velden's contribution but afterwards offered advice for future.
"Let me make it as clear as I can - while the minister was giving an answer that was quoting commentary from a news article it may have been better to refrain from one word that was fully expressed."
Speaking to reporters afterwards, van Velden said she had used the explicit language to shine a light on misogyny and to stand up for women across Parliament and the country.
"We are seeing vitriol. We're seeing hatred. We're seeing misogynistic abuse directed at female members of Cabinet, and that's not okay. Enough is enough, and us women need to stand together."
Van Velden she said she was "very disappointed" that Labour had "brought misogyny into the House" by asking questions about the article.
Leaders respond
Leaving the debating chamber, NZ First leader Winston Peters told media he was "actually disgusted" by the use of the c-word by both Vance and van Velden.
"I've seen some bad times in this House, but this is one of the lowest I've ever seen. When you go to that sort of standard of language, nothing's beneath you after that, is it?"
The Sunday Star-Times is owned by the media business Stuff.
Asked for a response, Stuff Masthead Publishing managing director Joanna Norris said the issue had prompted robust debate on all sides.
"This is not the first time our editors have allowed the use of this word - it is carefully reviewed by experienced editors and on this occasion, it was decided it was acceptable usage in the context of this column.
"Andrea Vance, and her editor Tracy Watkins, are two of the country's foremost political writers and since the column was published, have received both strong support for - and criticism of - the column's views and the manner in which they were expressed.
"Stuff has published a spectrum of commentary on the pay equity issue, including a reply to the column this week from the Minister of Finance."
Tinetti acknowledged that bringing up the article during Question Time was "provocative" but she said she cited a specific quote which she said did not include any misogyny.
"This has got people very uptight and very angry, and emotions have risen overall here... but the c-word, I would never use.
"I even struggle to listen to some of that language. That's not to say that I'm lily-white in my use of the vernacular, but there are certain words that I cannot stand."
Tinetti said the emotions on display suggested the coalition was panicking and trying to distract from its decision to crack down on pay equity.
Tinetti's question in full asked: "Does she agree with Andrea Vance, who said about the Equal Pay Amendment Bill, 'It is a curious feminist moment, isn't it? Six girlbosses - Willis, her hype-squad Judith Collins, Erica Stanford, Louise Upston, Nicola Grigg, and Brooke van Velden - all united in a historic act of economic backhanding other women'; if not, how is unilaterally stopping 33 pay equity claims not a historic act of economic backhanding other women?"
Vance's Sunday Star Times column also accused female ministers of shafting underpaid women: "Turns out you can have it all. So long as you're prepared to be a c... to the women who birth your kids, school your offspring and wipe the arse of your elderly parents while you stand on their shoulders to earn your six-figure, taxpayer-funded pay packet."
Several coalition ministers - including Peters, Shane Jones, and Chris Bishop - objected to the Speaker over Tinetti's question given the obscenity in the article referenced.
Brownlee allowed the question to go ahead but sought to constrain the exchange, quickly cutting off van Velden after she responded: "it was hard to find a single sentence in Andrea Vance's column that I agreed with".
Brownlee said: "You've answered the question. It's a controversial question. I'm keeping order in the House."
Van Velden shot back - "Mr Speaker, I'm a strong woman, and I can speak for myself" - again receiving applause from government MPs.
Act party leader David Seymour told Checkpoint his deputy van Velden did well in the House. He said was proud of her and she was a star.
Earlier, Labour leader Chris Hipkins declined to comment on the Sunday Star-Times' use of the c-word, saying he would not criticise newspapers' editorial decisions.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said that was the height of hypocrisy given Hipkins' previous "high-minded" statements about calling out misogyny.
"The standard you walk pass is the standard you accept."
