It's unity or doom, warns Flavell

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Maori Party is doomed to failure and extinction if Hone Harawira continues to publicly criticise his own party and caucus MPs.

That is the underlying fear in the complaint made against Mr Harawira by his colleague Te Ururoa Flavell.

He accuses the Te Tai Tokerau MP of being disrespectful, unethical and misrepresenting the position of the party.

"I have lost trust and confidence in Hone to work as a part of our team, and relationships have disintegrated to the disadvantage of our party," Mr Flavell says in the internal complaint, obtained by 3 News.

"For us to continue in this way is to see the situation worsen and have a huge impact on the long-term future of our party."

The complaint - backed by the co-leaders - was made to the party's National Council following Mr Harawira's column three weeks ago in the Sunday Star-Times, which included a barrage of criticisms of the party and its coalition with the National Party.

Despite a meeting between Mr Flavell and Mr Harawira this week, the complaint remains unresolved and the party's disciplinary committee will meet on Wednesday.

Under the party's constitution, a member can face disciplinary action if they "wilfully bring the party or its members into public disrepute".

Mr Flavell does not say what action he wants the party to take. He only asks the council to consider his complaint.

But he suggests the party's future is bleak if Mr Harawira is free to swipe at the party through the media.

Criticising the party and the leadership is "totally acceptable" but should take place in discussions behind closed doors.

Mr Harawira had acted "without integrity in his statements about myself as a member of our caucus, about the leadership of the party and the party itself".

Mr Flavell dissects Mr Harawira's column into nine points and rebukes each one. In particular he is scathing of attacks on the marine and coastal marine bill, the Government's alternative to the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.

"[Mr Harawira] actually shaped the bill, contributed to the discussions, heard the debate, saw the briefing papers, and had direct access to the minister.

"When I questioned him about why he was against it, he raised issues which I suggested he should take to the minister," Mr Flavell said.

"He decided he would not, in fact he stated he had no intention of seeking any answers."

Mr Flavell provides other articles by Mr Harawira where the party's position was misrepresented, and where Mr Harawira had presented himself as correct while "the rest of us have sold out".

Without unity, the party will eventually disintegrate, Mr Flavell said.

Writing on Facebook this week, Mr Harawira claimed "It looks like these dickheads only have expulsion on their mind, if that's their plan then we may need to refocus".

He has said he wants to stay with the party, but is not sure if he will attend Wednesday's meeting.

The friction between Mr Harawira, his local supporters and the rest of the Maori caucus has raised concerns that some anger could be directed at Maori Party co-leader Dr Pita Sharples when he walks on to Te Tii Marae at Waitangi this morning - one of Mr Harawira's home marae.

Yesterday, Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi spokesman Sonny Tau said the ructions were becoming more and more ridiculous and should have been resolved internally.

He said it was a distraction in an election year and many wanted the party to focus on getting influential in government, rather than scrapping among themselves.

While Mr Harawira had considerable support from tribal leadership in the north, Mr Tau said most were aware that his current approach could not continue.

"Iwi leaders support him as a good person to do the business but there's got to be systemic change about how that [happens]."

He put the troubles down to male egos, saying the egos all round - excluding Tariana Turia - had probably intensified the situation, he said. "You get enough males in the room they're all the bloody same."

A spokesman for Dr Sharples said he was not concerned about the prospect of protest targeted at him.

Additional reporting Claire Trevett, Yvonne Tahana