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Harawira at Mana Party launch - Source: ONE News -
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Hone Harawira's newly formed Mana Party may miss its chance to contest the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.
The electoral commission tonight announced it had received an application to register the Mana Party, which would take 6 to 8 weeks to process.
But the Prime Minister today announced the by-election will take place on June 25th, just more than six weeks away, which could mean the party won't be registered in time.
The party needs to be registered to qualify for extra parliamentary funding.
The Electoral Commission said the reason it takes 6-8 weeks to register a party is because it needs to check membership evidence provided by the party.
One of the conditions for a party to be registered is that it must have at least 500 current financial members who are eligible to enrol as electors.
Harawira speech moved
Meanwhile, a guest lecture by Hone Harawira at the University of Auckland tonight was moved after a protest was threatened.
The former Maori Party MP was invited by the university's Maori Law Students' Association to speak about the Foreshore and Seabed Act and his new Mana Party.
However, the event was moved from the campus to the university's marae after a protest event organised via Facebook was planned.
Harawira said "all the rednecks at the university decided to create such a ruckus that the law school cancelled it".
Event organiser Louis Grainger told ONE News the people who gave support for a protest were from all walks of life.
He said he "categorically" denies being a redneck.
"We thought by going along we can show Hone not everyone agrees with what he's saying," Grainger said.
Harawira resigned from parliament yesterday, forcing a by-election in Te Tai Tokerau.
Earlier today, Prime Minister John Key announced that the Te Tai Tokerau by-election Harawira will contest will be held on June 25.
Harawira, who became an independent MP when he left the Maori Party in February, launched the Mana Party in Auckland late last month.
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