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Hone Harawira's "white motherf..kers" comment has provoked 753 approaches to Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres, who says the vast majority complained they had been insulted.
"Beyond that, there is alarm and sadness in their perception of its likely effect on race relations," he says.
"People have spoken of the divisiveness of such comments, they have spoken of their anger and outrage at both the views contained in the comment and what they hear as its racist and sexist content."
The Maori Party MP's comment, made in an email responding to criticism of an unauthorised trip to Paris while on a parliamentary visit to Europe, has caused serious problems for himself and his party.
Its leaders asked him a week ago to leave and become an independent MP, although they say their main concern is that he doesn't recognise party authority and behaves like an independent anyway.
Harawira has said he is determined to stay in the party and he has a week left to decide his position.
Mr de Bres says many of the people who had approached his office expressed anger and frustration about what they saw as his and Prime Minister John Key's reluctance or lack of mandate to do anything about the comment.
"A number have spoken of what they see as a double standard in how they envisage the comment would have been responded to had it been made by someone who is not Maori," he says.
A few callers had defended Harawira's right to speak as he did and referred to the historic events underpinning his comment.
Harawira referred in his email to "white motherf...kers raping our land".
Mr de Bres says he was advocating "an effective response" from the Maori Party and was prepared to offer advice on how that could be achieved.
Harawira is spending his time in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate he represents, talking to his local committee and his supporters.
He has made a qualified apology for his remark and has said he knows he needs to build bridges with those he has offended.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples appeared to today indicate Harawira would be allowed to stay in the party, saying it had coped with disagreements before.
"All I can say is it's got to go through a process and it will go through that process," he said.
Mr de Bres' statement came on the eve of a meeting of the Maori Party's national council, which has to decide what it will do in a week's time if Mr Harawira is still determined to stay.
The council is meeting in Otaki and will weigh up the risk of a backlash if it expels the MP, who is popular in his electorate, against the implications of allowing him to remain a member.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentGreg Cramond said on 2011-01-28 @ 19:02 NZDT: Report abusive post
Hone was in Kitimat (Canada) for a conference for American Indian Nations, did his usual racist rant and blamed white people for everything wrong and then left after being presented with the indian name of walking eagle... This means 'one so full of sh!t, he can not fly'. Hone, give it up mate, you look like an idiot... It is New Zealand, not Whites and Maoris, Us and Them, people like you incite racism... Let it go... Bro!
Rog said on 2009-12-02 @ 09:45 NZDT: Report abusive post
Harawira should look at the history of his own race before criticising others. They stole land from, raped, murdered and ate their own people when they felt like it. He should read the book "This Horrid Practice" by Paul Moon plus accounts in the National Archives of Maori history.
shiloh said on 2009-11-30 @ 07:52 NZDT: Report abusive post
It looks as though they are waiting for all the racist hype to quiten down, and then keep him on in the party. Mind you... when you think about it, if they kick him out, the Maori party will have to deal with the wrath of Hone's fans. And if they keep him, they have the rest of the country to deal with!! GET RID OF HIM! NZ has no room for racist politicians.
paulmmmm said on 2009-11-29 @ 18:18 NZDT: Report abusive post
Being in New Zealand from Australia to witness Hone's spectacular racist and stupid remarks was fascinating. Do they help even if true? Hone, I wish you and your people all the best. At least the Maoris have a political party - Australian Aboriginies do not.
Zanziabar said on 2009-11-29 @ 18:12 NZDT: Report abusive post
This is completely unacceptable, this is a truly horrendous double-standard applied to this entire political circus. As it has been pointed out before, If a Pakeha MP was to make the same comment about Maori then he would be expelled. Instead, We get a maori party unable to face up to it's responsibilities as a political party. Mark my words, there will be massive public outrage if he isn't expelled from his causcus.