Phil Goff: Hone Harawira 'should be sacked'

BY COLIN ESPINER AND MICHAEL FIELD

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira might given an apology of sorts for his email abuse but he has refused to back off from saying Labour Leader Phil Goff should be shot.

At a press conference to mark his third apology of the day, Mr Harawira was unwilling to withdraw his remarks about Mr Goff.  

At his day’s first apology, during  an interview with Maori broadcaster Willie Jackson on Radio Waatea this morning, Harawira said  Goff and his government had stolen Maori land.

Near the end of that interview, Harawira called Goff "a cheeky bastard" for suggesting he be suspended from the party, and said he should be "lined up against the wall and shot".

"Now if I should be suspended for swearing, him and his mates should be lined up against the wall and shot," Mr Harawira said.

When asked about that later he would not back off.

“Phil Goff has his own demons to deal with in terms of Foreshore and Seabed Act;  and they stole it, we intend to get it back,” Mr Harawira said

“Its important to realise that while I am prepared to apologise for the things I have done wrong I am not prepared to sit down and shut up and take this rubbish from other politicians…. What is the appropriate punishment for stealing the sea bed and foreshore?”

The comments come after Harawira caused national outrage and upset his party with an inflammatory email which followed his skipping official business to go sight-seeing in Paris while on a taxpayer-funded junket.

In the email, Mr Harawira said "white motherf...ers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries."

The MP delivered an apology of sorts today, saying sorry for his language, but not the content of the email, and stopped short of apologising for his jaunt to Paris.

He followed this up with comments about Goff.

At a press conference this afternoon, Goff said Harawira's latest outburst was another example of the MP being unable to control his language.

He said Harawira should be sacked for is ongoing behaviour over his trip to Paris and "racist" language.

"I don't think my dad would be impressed about the idea of me being a bastard. As for being lined up and shot, I'm not taking that seriously."

Goff said of more concern was the fact that Harawira had still not apologised for skipping off to Paris.

"Nor has he apologised for making obscene and racist remarks. I don't think that is acceptable behaviour by an MP and I think it needs some leadership from the Maori Party and the Prime Minister," Goff said.

"I don't think somebody who behaves in that way and then uses obscene and racist comments against other ethnic groups has any place in this Parliament at all and it is time that the Maori Party and John Key took this issue seriously."

Asked if Harawira should be expelled from the Maori Party, Goff said: "I wouldn't have person who behaved like that and spoke like that as a member of my caucus."

Prime Minister John Key said New Zealanders were heartily sick of Hone Harawira side-show and name calling and that MPs were there to work for the country and they should get on with it.

The country had been offended by Mr Harawira's comments and would be pleased there been an apology 'of sorts', but Mr Key said he would leave it to New Zealanders to judge how genuine the apology was.

"We are all getting a bit sick of the Hone Harawira side show, I mean frankly, there are some big things going on in New Zealand - that's where my focus of attention is."

He said the reference to shooting Labour Leader Phil Goff was just another chapter in a history of politicians name calling which devalued Parliament and ultimately Mr Harawira and the Maori Party had to face the judgement of voters.

RADIO WAATEA PERFORMANCE

Harawira: "I'm about to hammer Labour again, over Phil Goff saying I should be suspended, you know, from politics – the cheek of the bastard..."

Jackson: "Careful."

Harawira: "Him and his mates, no seriously, him and his mates are responsible for the passing of a piece of legislation described as the single largest land nationalization statute in the history of Aotearoa. Now if I should be suspended for swearing, him and his mates should be lined up against the wall and shot," Harawira said.

Harawira was referring to the passage of the Foreshore and Seabed Act, which National and the Maori Party are in the process of repealing.

APOLOGY FOR LANGUAGE, NOT CONTENT

In his apology on Auckland's Waatea Radio today, Harawira said: "Firstly I readily apologise for the poor choice of words in that email."

He said if he had simply said that Pakeha had stolen Maori land the email would not have rated a mention.

"My choice of words has led to a flood of emails and accusations and for that I do apologise," he said.

He apologised to the Maori Party saying his words had caused "considerable damage and unnecessary harm to friends"

His use of the abusive term about mothers was demeaning.

"I apologise unconditionally for using that word."

In the interview following the apology Mr Harawira admitted he could have handled the decision to go to Paris better.

He said he had been open about what he had done and had not tried to hide the trip.

He denied telling party co-leader Tariana Turia the reason he missed the meeting was because he was ill, rather he was ill on his return and that had caused confusion.

The controversy had damaged his credibility and he would be doing "serious bridge building" with his caucus, he said.

Mr Harawira said he had no plans to leave the party.

He will still have to face up to a hui in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate on Thursday, where disciplinary action will be discussed.

- © Fairfax NZ News