Hone Harawira looks set to stay

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Firebrand MP Hone Harawira looks set to remain in the Maori Party, with its leadership having softened its stance in what is seen as a face-saving compromise.

But co-leader Pita Sharples insisted yesterday that the Te Tai Tokerau MP would first have to apologise to New Zealand for his abusive comments and may face a period of suspension from the party's caucus.

Dr Sharples said that after meetings of the party and Mr Harawira's iwi it appeared he would stay with the party and not go independent.

"It is looking that way, the way his iwi is talking, he's talking and the meetings I have been to, yeah," Dr Sharples said.

Asked if conditions would be imposed, he said: "Of course an apology to New Zealand for various statements and behaviour would be the minimum."

Mr Harawira is not talking to the media till after Sunday's hui, which marks the end of the two weeks' leave he took to consider his future with the party.

However, a close friend of his said Dr Sharples appeared to be trying to save face after he and co-leader Tariana Turia had initially taken such a hard line.

"This would appear to be a bit of face-saving from the parliamentary leadership team because [the parliamentary wing] never had the authority to kick him out of the party in the first place. That authority rests with the grassroots of the party."

However Hone Harawira supporter and author Malcolm Mulholland said Mr Sharples had jumped the gun in announcing that it was likely Harawira would return to the Maori Party fold.

The intention was for Hone to attend the hui and seek the advice of Maori elders before a final decision was made.

"That's a process that shouldn't be interfered with," he told Radio New Zealand.

He said Mr Sharples had obviously been under intense media pressure but the admission could also have been an attempt to save face.

Mr Mulholland told Radio New Zealand that the strong message from hui so far had been about restoring the mana of the parties involved.

Mr Harawira sparked controversy after dropping out of a parliamentary delegation to Brussels for a day's sightseeing in Paris with his wife.

He then said in an email: "White motherf...ers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries".

In his weekly newspaper column yesterday, Mr Harawira said that during his enforced time out he had had a chance to reflect on his behaviour, his major mistakes and the "rather astonishing statements from my party's leadership".

Dr Sharples said that if Mr Harawira was referring to remarks Dr Sharples and Mrs Turia had made about his behaviour, he "knows he's hard to control. So does his iwi". The party wanted his expertise, and would not push him out, though suspension from the caucus was a possibility.

Mr Harawira's column also said he had received hundreds of emails and texts by way of feedback, including blatant racist taunts.

Meanwhile, the emissions trading law passed its second reading yesterday by 63 votes to 58, with the backing of National, UnitedFuture's Peter Dunne and the Maori Party.

Under Parliament's rules, with both Mr Harawira and Mrs Turia absent, the Maori Party was able to cast only four of its five votes. With three in the House, it was allowed one proxy vote.

Mrs Turia is undergoing a stomach stapling operation.

The bill is expected to pass into law late in the week despite Labour and the Greens moving hundreds of amendments.

- © Fairfax NZ News