Harawira refusing to budge

Hone Harawira speaks to the media on Tuesday in this file photo. Credit: NZPA / Peter Graney.
Hone Harawira speaks to the media on Tuesday in this file photo. Credit: NZPA / Peter Graney.
Hone Harawira has maintained that he wants to stay in the Maori Party despite referring to some members as "dickheads" on Facebook yesterday.

Mr Harawira is in trouble over a newspaper column he wrote last month in which he said the party was too wrapped up with National and was supporting anti-Maori policies.

Fellow MP Te Ururoa Flavell laid a formal complaint against him, which is still unresolved and will be the subject of a disciplinary committee hearing next week.

The two MPs met face to face at a hui in Rotorua on Tuesday and Mr Harawira said he was willing to talk about the complaint if legal process was set aside and the issue could be addressed in terms of kaupapa Maori.

However, questions about Mr Harawira's commitment to finding a resolution were raised yesterday after he posted comments on Facebook once again criticising the party.

"It looks like these dickheads only have expulsion on their mind, if that's their plan then we may need to refocus," he said on his Facebook page yesterday.

Mr Harawira would not say who the comment referred to.

Speaking on TVNZ's Breakfast today, Mr Harawira said he had no intention of leaving the party.

"I think at the end of the day, if we are able to refocus on the issues of the moment: unemployment, health, education, welfare, housing, and reconnect with our people anything is repairable," he said.

"I think there is always a future with the Maori Party in that the Maori Party represents Maori people who are a positive, vibrant and diverse community."

Mr Harawira said he was not sure if the party's leaders want him to remain in the party.

"At the end of the day, the party is more than three or four people -- we have a party of 25,000 people."

Meanwhile, his fiercely loyal Te Tai Tokerau electorate committee said it organised a second hui yesterday to allow a second round of talks between Mr Harawira and Mr Flavell, but Mr Flavell would not attend.

Electorate chairwoman Lisa McNab said it appeared some people in the party were determined to get rid of the MP and were being directed by the party leadership.

Mr Flavell told NZPA he had been prepared to meet Mr Harawira one-on-one, and had made that clear to Mr Harawira and his electorate committee earlier this week.

 

 

 

 

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