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Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says his party caucus has coped with disagreements before.
Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is midway through the fortnight the party gave him to consider his future after his " white motherf....rs" comment in an email , a reaction to criticism of his unauthorised trip to Paris while on a parliamentary trip to Europe.
The email prompted more than 400 complaints to the Race Relations Commissioner and the party leaders have received even more.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has said the controversy had damaged the party, but there were wider problems than that.
Sharples told Radio New Zealand on Friday that Harawira was continuing to work in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate.
"All I can say is it's got to go through a process and it will go through that process."
He said the party was new to politics and new to being a government support partner.
Harawira has been frank about his discomfort with the party's support of the National Government.
"...there's only five of us to share the load and obviously we are going to disagree on a whole lot of stuff," Sharples said.
"But we've managed right up until now to get along fine on things."
He agreed with Turia that the problem with Harawira was not just about the unauthorised trip or offensive email.
"...it is in fact how we work together that is the main thing and how we handle stuff like this."
The party co-leaders are being sent messages from Harawira's supporters and Treaty lawyer and Auckland University Law School professor David Williams was among those.
He said Harawira was the person the party chose in 2005 and 2008 and he had done extremely well on a range of issues important to Maori and Pakeha.
"Give Hone Harawira his voice back as a Maori Party MP and let him speak what needs to be spoken."
The Tamaki Makaurau branch of the party is also supporting Harawira, who has the support of his own electorate branch.
Tamaki Makaurau chairman Eru Thompson said the electorate committee and party members met Sharples on Wednesday to express support.
The party's national council will decide what to do with Harawira at the end of the fortnight if he refuses to resign.
Thompson said he was writing to party president Whatarangi Winiata to ask for a delay while Mr Harawira continues to talk to his iwi and elders.
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.