Electorate meetings 'fruitful' - Harawira

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Embattled Maori Party MP Hone Harawira appears to be still at odds with his party's leadership, but says meetings in his electorate over the past 10 days have been fruitful.

In his weekly Northland Age column, Mr Harawira said he had spent time in his Tai Tokerau electorate with kaumatua, kuia and others after falling out of favour with his party over his abusive defence of an unauthorised trip to Paris while on parliamentary business last month.

Maori Party leaders asked Mr Harawira to consider leaving and become an independent MP, but he has been against that.

He said today he had had a chance to reflect on his behaviour and the "rather astonishing statements from my party's leadership", during his enforced time out.

The comments suggest he still doesn't agree with the party's treatment of him, but he admitted he had a lot of ground to cover to rebuild broken alliances. "But these are the times when you really see who your friends are..."

"The meetings have been really well attended and thankfully I have been able to just sit and listen for the most part, which can be difficult for a politician, but which I have found very, very fruitful."

"Most people don't know the full story, but they do understand instinctively what the real issues are, and they have very strong views about them."

Mr Harawira said emails and other messages had flooded in over the past two weeks ranging from "go harder bro" to racist slants.

Hui had ranged from passionate to fiery and "sometimes right over the top", but some commitments from people had been humbling.

"And I have also been able to read a lot of the commentaries on the debate which has quietened down a bit but ain't over yet, and gotten a better insight into just how helpful or damaging the media can be."

Mr Harawira said he had a way to go before he could "get back on his horse", but was grateful for the support he had.

- NZPA