Click photo to enlarge
Maori MP Hone Harawira speaks at a media conference in
Auckland yesterday. Photo by NZPA.
Hone Harawira's apology has done little to relieve
pressure on the Maori Party leadership to take a strong stance
against him when it meets the MP for the first time tomorrow.
Mr Harawira yesterday said sorry for offensive language he
used in a widely publicised email, admitting his actions had
strained the Maori Party's relationships with others, as well
as many of his own relationships with Pakeha.
The apology precedes a meeting tomorrow when he will front up
to Maori Party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia.
The co-leaders have so far made little comment on the email
he sent to Buddy Mikaere, and would not comment yesterday,
saying they preferred to wait until after tomorrow's hui.
However, Mr Harawira's apology left Prime Minister John Key
and Labour leader Phil Goff under- whelmed.
Mr Goff said it was "phoney" and it was time for the Maori
Party leadership and John Key to take the matter more
seriously.
Mr Key said it was an "apology of sorts" but he would leave
New Zealanders to decide on its merits.
"I think everybody's getting a bit sick of the Hone Harawira
sideshow."
He usually ignored Mr Harawira's outbursts, but had found
this one offensive.
However, it was not up to him to discipline Mr Harawira.
In his apology, Mr Harawira said he regretted his choice of
words, but not the meaning.
"I note also that my comments have been misunderstood as an
attack against all Pakeha and that has caused a lot of damage
to my credibility throughout the Te Tai Tokerau and
throughout Aotearoa as well."
Mr Harawira did not apologise for missing official business
to go to Paris, but said in hindsight he should have waited
until the business was over to make the trip. He also was
happy to repay a portion of the costs if that was required.
He said he had put a lot of energy into helping Maori and
that work had meant building strong relationships with Pakeha
businesses in his electorate.
"I know that those relationships have been strained by my
comments. I know I have work to do to repair those
relationships and I intend to do so."
Mr Harawira also apologised to his own party, saying he knew
his words had caused "considerable damage and unnecessary
harm to our relationships with other people and other
parties".
Mr Harawira sullied his apology by lashing out at Mr Goff on
Radio Waatea over criticism that he should be expelled from
his party. He said Mr Goff was a "bastard" and "he and his
mates should be lined up against the wall and shot" for
passing the Seabed and Foreshore Act.
Mr Goff dismissed Mr Harawira's comments as "silly". He said
Mr Harawira was still trying to "blame the white people"
instead of apologising for his actions.
"I don't think somebody that behaves in that way and shows no
contrition for it has any place in Parliament at all."
Mr Harawira would not resile from the comments he made about
Mr Goff, saying while he was happy to front up to his own
mistakes, he would not take criticism of the like Mr Goff had
handed up.
