Harawira turns away voters on general roll

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is refusing to help people coming to his electorate offices who are not on the Maori roll, instead referring them to MPs on the general roll.

The stance has raised eyebrows in some quarters with National Northland.

MP John Carter described it as "unusual" and Helen Clark said her electorate office never asked what roll people were on.

Mr Harawira maintains there is nothing wrong with his position, which he has made public in several newsletters, including one titled "Hone or John?"

The Te Tai Tokerau MP, who has offices in Kaitaia and Whangarei, said his Maori electorate covered a much greater geographical area - and therefore more people - than those of general electorates and it made sense to be clear about who he could help.

"I made the point that if they're not on my roll, I'm happy to give them John Carter's number. He's the MP in the general seat.

"If they're on [the Maori] roll, I'm more than willing to help them. If they're not on that roll then it's some other MP's job to help them."

Mr Carter said he wasn't being critical of Mr Harawira but thought his position was "unusual".

He said he had a "constant stream" of people on the Maori roll coming into his Northland office and was always willing to help them.

"I think it's an honour. I'm paid by the taxpayer to assist anyone in New Zealand, regardless of who they are, what their background is, no matter what their ethnicity is.

"Apart from helping people, which may help me as a local MP, I've always taken the view that I might end up picking up a National Party vote as well. The party vote is all that matters at the end."

There were no rules or regulations on the issue but Mr Carter said, "I would have thought that MPs would have said they're there and have a responsibility to help".

Helen Clark said her electorate office never asked people what roll they were on.

"If they live in the Mt Albert area, we'll help them and I would have thought most Maori MPs would take the same approach."

Mr Harawira said: "No offence to John Carter but when it comes to my electorate I don't give a **** what John Carter thinks."

He said he did not know whether other Maori Party MPs also restricted their attention to Maori roll constituents.

He denied turning away potential future voters. "If they are on the general roll it means they've actively chosen to go there or stay there, regardless of a massive [Maori] electoral option that has just gone through. So they are there by a conscience choice. Fine. Ring John Carter.

"It's not about denying access to everybody, but it's about me being very clear that at the end of the day I can't help everybody in the world, but that those who I'm there to serve, I'll serve to my utmost ability."