Party hierarchy to decide next step

Hone Harawira. File photo / Steven McNicholl

A hui called to consider a complaint against maverick Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has done nothing to solve the problem and has instead increased tension within the party over his criticism of its coalition with National.

The party hierarchy will now decide what to do next, and the complaint is back in the hands of the national council.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell laid the formal complaint last week over Mr Harawira's criticism in a newspaper article of the party's support for the Government and policies he said were anti-Maori.

The hui organised by Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate committee turned into a support rally today, with neither Mr Flavell nor party president Pem Bird attending. They said they hadn't been properly invited.

The hui rejected the complaint and said constitutional law expert Mai Chen, hired to advise the party, should be sacked.

It also said Mr Harawira should travel the country to find out how much support there was for his concerns.

"The complaint itself is without basis and the issues raised by Hone are the views of Maori within the electorate," said electorate chairwoman Lisa McNab.

"We are of the belief that a select few within the Maori Party hierarchy are trying to silence what our people believe in."

Ms McNab, who said she was speaking on behalf of Mr Harawira, told reporters "we have received overwhelming messages of support for Hone. The message has been resolute: Hone speaks the truth and the truth should not be silenced."

The hui, attended by about 100 constituents at Whakapara Marae north of Whangarei, called for differences between Mr Harawira and his caucus colleagues to be reconciled but it was clear that neither the MP, nor his electorate committee, were going to back down.

Ms McNab said the way the complaint process had been handled was fundamentally flawed and the electorate was "hugely disappointed" that money raised to support the party was being used to pay Ms Chen.

It has been reported that $25,000 was set aside to pay for her services.

Mr Flavell's complaint was supported by party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, and its other MP Rahui Katene.

None of them were at the hui, and Mr Flavell told NZPA: "I have had no communication whatsoever from the Te Tai Tokerau electorate, or anyone associated with it."

He said the party had put the complaint into the hands of the electorate committee to try to resolve it.

"The theory was that since I was the complainant I would have had some communication but I haven't, so now it's back in the hands of the national council," he said.

Mr Bird said the meeting could not resolve the issue without Mr Flavell present and he would discuss the next step with the national council.

He said it would be "excellent" if a meeting could be arranged between Mr Harawira and Mr Flavell.

"Another outcome would be that the broader interests of the party need to be considered and we would consider the next step in the process, the disciplinary dispute process," he said.

Electorate member Ruben Taipari said Mr Harawira was doing what he had been elected to do - standing up for all Maori people.

Hui facilitator Malcolm Mulholland said the people responsible for the complaint should apologise.

"This, at the heart of it, is not about Hone versus the other four (Maori Party MPs), this is about the future direction of the party," he said.

- NZPA