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A defiant Hone Harawira is vowing to stay on as a Maori Party MP
as he is put on probation for two weeks.
That is despite being given the option by his own leaders of
quitting and standing as an independent.
The MP is in hot water over his jaunt to Paris and for sending a
critic an expletive-ridden email talking about white people raping
the country.
Harawira fronted up to anger at a hui of senior Maori Party and
electorate officials in Kaitaia.
He made his feelings on the matter clear as he left the hui: "I have no intention of leaving the party."
He says he thinks the party is the way forward for Maori and he is in no doubt that is where his future lies.
More than 200 people gathered in the Far North to have their say and reflect on Harawira's behaviour.
Maori Party President Whatarangi Winiata suggested Harawira stand as an independent.
"We don't know how to manage Hone," he says.
"We would like him to be a member of the party, so long as he does not destroy the party."
But the man at the centre of the controversy was unimpressed by the idea of going it alone as an independent.
"That's the silliest thing I ever heard of," says Harawira.
He was still stirring things up on Thursday, with Maori media like TV ONE's Te Karere welcome at the meeting but others only allowed at the beginning.
Harawira won the seat of Te Tai Tokerau by more than 12,000 votes and he is still a super star in the area.
Many at the meeting were angry at the Maori Party for not backing their own MP.
He had the support of his parliamentary colleagues at the meeting, too - all except Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia.
The party's other co-leader, Pita Sharples, flew in despite saying on Wednesday he was going to be somewhere else.
In the end, the party resolved to wait two weeks before deciding Harawira's fate.
"We made it clear we didn't come here to punish. We came here to find a way to make Hone into a great politician," says Winiata.
Should Hone Harawira stay in the Maori Party? And how do you feel about his Paris trip and his email reaction to criticism of it?
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.