Maori Party under pressure after 'phoney' apology

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.