The messages emanating from Maori Party leaders when they have been in Hawke's Bay have generally been positive.
Tariana Turia, talking to Hawke's Bay Today last month, said: "There is nothing of greater urgency for our whanau than the call for healthy living."
Mrs Turia was praising the Maraenui community for uniting
for the well-being of whanau at the opening of the Whanau Ora Festival.
Her co-leader, Pita Sharples, in an earlier visit to the Bay, spoke of how the Maori Party held deep concerns at the level of child abuse in New Zealand.
"I'm looking for new ideas. I'm racking my brains every day. And the whole issue of violence and domestic violence - we haven't quite cracked yet - what are the main causes and why people can be so violent," he said.
Mrs Turia and Mr Sharples present well. They parlay a message of consensus and commitment to Maori and to New Zealand.
Contrast this with the abusive ranting by Titewhai Harawira at a hui at Waitangi at the weekend, where she harangued people for something like four hours.
Mrs Harawira is nothing but a bully and it was encouraging to see Mrs Turia saying as much after the hui.
Mrs Turia observed that the shouting, abuse and swearing were "psychological abuse" at the very time that committed Maori leaders were trying to bring about a transformation in attitudes to violence and abuse.
The hui was held to discuss a Maori Party challenge to Mrs Harawira's loud-mouthed son and erstwhile party member Hone in the byelection he has triggered in Te Tai Tokerau.
It is unfortunate that the Maori Party has chosen to fight the byelection.
They are doing nothing but giving the Harawiras oxygen when the right thing to do, just a few months short of a general election, is for no party to stand an opponent in Northland.
This would see Hone Harawira retain his seat unopposed, it is true, but it would also save the nation $500,000, spare us his grandstanding and leave the political situation unchanged.
The Maori Party could then have a serious tilt at Mr Harawira in the coming general election.
