Hone Harawira set to stay with Maori Party

Hone Harawira

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LATEST: Renegade Maori Party MP Hone Harawira Hone has escaped explusion after apologising to his party and to New Zealanders for inflammatory comments he made in an email.

At a press conference this morning Maori Party whip Te Ururoa Flavell announced that Harawira would remain away from Parliament until the end of the year.

Mr  Harawira said that during a meeting last night he had heard first-hand the pain and the suffering that he had caused due to his "senseless" comments.

Mr Harawira has been in trouble with his party because of an unauthorised trip to Paris while on a parliamentary visit to Paris and his racially abusive email in defence of it.

Party leaders asked him to consider leaving and becoming an independent, but he said he was determined to stay in the ranks.

After a series of hui in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate, the problem was handed back to the party's caucus which met in Wellington last night.

The Maori Party has five MPs: co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, Te Ururoa Flavell, Rahui Katene and Mr Harawira.

Last night's caucus meeting was not attended by Mrs Turia, who is recovering from gastric bypass surgery.

Dr Sharples has previously said Mr Harawira should "at least'' apologise for his actions and indicated the MP was likely to serve a suspension from caucus.

The Maori Party took action following an abusive email he sent while defending an unauthorised trip to Paris while on parliamentary business in October.

In it he told former Waitangi Tribunal director Buddy Mikaere: "White motherf...kers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries and all of a sudden you want me to play along with their puritanical bullshit?"

He invited him to go to the media with the email, which Mr Mikaere did.

- With NZPA

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Matt   #11   10:23 am Dec 02 2009

clap, clap, clap. I now no that this country is screwed. Why don't we let the national front into parliament to debate with the maori party and have a good old race war. Well done all those involved

bob   #10   09:36 am Dec 02 2009

WHAT A JOKE OF A PARTY!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA

David   #9   09:27 am Dec 02 2009

Well there is a surprise. This was never in doubt; just enough fuss was made to drag it out and lose it's immediacy in the public eye.

This has also resulted in a lot of free publicity for Harawira and the Maori part, with the media giving daily "nothing's happened yet" updates. Despite the publicity though, the Maori party has jeopardized whatever moral mandate it might previously have claimed.

Moko   #8   09:27 am Dec 02 2009

Unfortunately for me, it's a case of 'too little, too late'. I move for a vote of no confidence, and at the very least I will no longer support the Maori Party.

Yes, I am Maori

not happy   #7   09:27 am Dec 02 2009

Not happy, if this was any other mp they would be gone, imagine saying something like this in the workplace, instant dismissal

dan   #6   09:27 am Dec 02 2009

I would like to see a public apology from Hone Harawira for his email. I was offended by his comments, as were so many New Zealanders, so he must do this to regain any respect at all.

AJ   #5   09:26 am Dec 02 2009

A national joke really, put into perspective if Rodney Hide had made those comments towards Maori would he be there today?

Blake   #4   09:26 am Dec 02 2009

Where else would a racist like this get a job? he probably begged to stay with the party so he can keep getting the "white man" perks.

Moneyshot   #3   09:26 am Dec 02 2009

Boo...no surprise there a racist from a one race base party.

Udo   #2   09:25 am Dec 02 2009

So he gets to keep his job and an extra 29 days off?

I must admit I expected as much.

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