PM: Harawira's white tirade 'deeply offensive'

I'm not a "white person" but a Japanese. I feel for indigenous people who were persecuted by invaders, not necessarily white people. Yes, Maori did the same. Maori killed off Moriori. But I cannot accuse Maori of this. The human history has seen countless invasions (especially until the mid-20th century). Mr. Harawira, if you had made the same accusation 500 years ago, you'd surely have made yourself a laughing stock. The human race has been evolving not only technologically but politically, ecnonomically and ethically. The ethical viewpoint on which you base your argument was discovered/reached and is (if not perfectly) practiced mostly by "white" people. You'd never have discovered this kind of view if it had not been for the invasion by white people. Isn't it ironical? Anyway, you cannot denouce, standing on the modern ethical viewpoint, other races for what they did long time ago. What's really important is to eliminate discrimination and hostility among different races in the country (the whole world for that matter). If racial issues continue to divide the nation, there won't be a bright future for NZ.

If Hone Harawira doesn't get sacked after today's verbal outburst, I am losing faith in our Prime Minister. The last few weeks Hone has showed his disregard for tax payers when he said on TV that he "didn't give a s**t about them. Then his arrogance over the Paris trip and now his comments about white people. He can not come under authority and shown this on many occasions by his speech. There should be no room given for apartheid in parliament, and it should be dealt with quick and smart. These comments only cause more division between us, as a people and as a country. "A house divided cannot stand."

We need better code of conduct for MPs - on and off work. It's a bad look. They need, like, an MP-PP - a minister of parliament police person who can pull out the whip or in the style of that guy 'put a cap in da a***'. The guy needs to chill out. Anger management stuff. Orthopaedic frikken implant. His shoulder is so chipped, he's lost it completely.

Hone Harawira is ignorant and offensive and must be sacked. Anything less is just unacceptable. The Maori Party will never receive any vote of confidence from me while he is a part of it. And while National continue to sit on their hands about this kind of behaviour, they are rapidly losing my support also.

John Key really thinks we will stay with MMP?

Fact - Maori civilisation was changed and dominated forever when Europeans arrived on these shores but it's something that was 100% part of the European culture (culture is used by Maori as a excuse all to often) but this also happened within Maori culture towards other Maori and don't forget the Moriori. My point being culture isn't an excuse for wrong doings. I think Harawira's actions are hypocritical and destrutive towards relations between New Zealanders (perhaps the objective). Maori need to be more realistic with their goals and these sort of rebellious acts benifit Maori no way and won't inspire Maori youth to succeed in the world they live. Mr Harawira might want to remember that if it wasn't for the "white man" there wouldn't be opportunity for a Maori to visit Paris, hell they wouldn't even know it existed. Anyone else find this hypocritical?

This guy is a fool. Crazy that he can make such remarks as a member of parliament. He has to go, if not by the hand of his party, then parliament itself must do something. I'd personally have no problem filing a personal greivance against him for corruption (he's fruadulently spending my hard earned dollars) and racisim... if someone dosen't file, I will!

The irony is that he has set us back about 30 years in terms of our bicultural relationships in this country - the Maori party must act on this - cultural inclusion is the only reason they can justify having a seat in parliament and now they are openly destroying it...

Aahhh... nobody give me a gun!

MMP isn't fully proportional and Harawira represents a first past the post (FPP) seat so 97% of New Zealanders can't sack him, only the people on the roll for his electorate can.

The FPP seats are supposed to allow communities of interest to be represented in the parliament and from what I can see, just as Dr Sharples represents well educated and affluent maori, Harawira most adequetly represents a minority we unfortunately do have in this society.

His presence in parliament is just a part of ensuring that minorities are represented there

Harawira is racist, and apparently proud of the fact. He should not be in parliament. And what a lazy man he is, bunking off work (AT OUR EXPENSE) so he and his wife (WHO PAID HER AIRFARE?) could go sightseeing. And he apparently paid for this day's outing himself, big flashy deal. What is it now, 25 Euro for the train from Brussels down to Paris and back?

As a Kiwi living overseas but keeping track of what`s going on back home, I have to say that I used to be proud of the fact that the NZ government took a very proactive role in trying to right the wrongs of many years ago. However, when I see such carrying-ons as this so-called "MP", I am very much ashamed to say I am a Kiwi. I mean, after all that the government has tried to do in order to make ammends for some of the shocking things 150 odd years ago, there are still some people who, surprisingly have been elected to a MP post, harbor strong resentment towards the so-called "white man". Would this MP like to return to the days when there were no modern conveniences, like airplanes to take him and his wife halfway around the world, or education, health care, etc? I am sure he would be the first person to scream blue murder if these advancements in technology, and conveniences were taken away. Further, and I am not trying to justify anything that has happened in the past, if it wasn`t the British who colonized NZ, then who would it have been? The Spanish, or perhaps even worse the arrogant Americans? Just ask the Hawaiins about what happened to them!! What I would like readers of my comment to realise is that I don`t wish to see NZ`s image tarnished by one person`s idiotic behaviour. I feel that NZ has made big headway into righting the wrongs and now is not the time to ruin all that hard work!! Everyone, just forget this MP`s stupid escapade, let him shoot himself down in flames, forget about him and continue to move on in the positive fight of bringing all Kiwi`s closer as one nation. If you want a reminder of perhaps how fortunate you are, take a quick look across the ditch and see how the Aborignes have been and still are treated. For sure life has been tough for our native people at times, and I`m not trying to detract from that, but isn`t NZ about building a strong country of ONE people? i.e. Kiwi`s not "white men vs Maori" stop and think about it for a moment!! Is it worth getting your "ni__ers in a knot" over one person`s ridiculous actions? I think not. Have a great day NZ and keep up the good fight!! I would like to continue to say I am proud to be a Kiwi. (but currently feeling a bit embarrassed when reading this of article.)