Support for Harawira starting to wane - kaumatua

Hone Harawira. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Suspended Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has widespread support in his electorate - but that support is starting to wane, a Ngapuhi kaumatua says.

Mr Harawira was yesterday suspended from the party as the caucus said it no longer had any faith in the rogue MP.

The Te Tai Tokerau MP last month wrote an article critical of the party, which triggered a complaint from party whip Te Ururoa Flavell about his conduct.

A disciplinary committee was due to meet tomorrow to discuss the complaint.

Mr Harawira sparked further anger in the party at Waitangi celebrations over the weekend, when he gave a "state of the Maori nation" speech an hour before co-leader Pita Sharples' own speech.

Mr Harawira has accused the party of trying to get rid of him and has regularly pointed to his large number of Maori supporters, particularly in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate.

Electorate chairwoman Lisa McNab told Radio New Zealand she was "totally gutted" with the decision to suspend Mr Harawira.

"I don't understand why caucus made this decision," she said.

Ms McNab said party members in the electorate were "totally behind and support Hone to remain in the party and remain in caucus".

But a kaumatua of Northland iwi Ngapuhi Hone Saddler told Radio New Zealand Maori are tiring of his outbursts.

"I do support him but I think the support is starting to wane, especially after his last outburst on Friday morning in an interview ... with his Facebook comments, which for me were disheartening."

Mr Harawira wrote "It looks like these dickheads only have expulsion on their mind, if that's their plan then we may need to refocus", on his Facebook page last Thursday.

Mr Saddler said the party should have acted sooner against Mr Harawira.

"This should have been settled a long time ago ... I think people will grow tired of it," he said.

"I think they were too conciliatory and they didn't come out strong enough."

Mr Saddler said Mr Harawira continued to have widespread support in the electorate, but that his support was mainly in Auckland and among younger people.

He said the MP would have no alternative but to part ways with the Maori Party if he continued to criticise the party, and stand against his party at this year's election.

"I think that with his strong support he will fare well ... but he will need to fight hard battle to get there."

Mr Harawira will be in Parliament today and plans to front a media conference this morning to outline his plans for the future, Ms McNabb said.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples today defended the timing of the decision to suspend Mr Harawira, saying it was separate to the disciplinary process over the complaint.

"Ours is about us being able to operate with integrity as a caucus," he told Radio New Zealand.

The disciplinary committee could ignore the suspension in its deliberations.

"It's something we hate doing and we've put off for so long."

The party needed to show the party had integrity and was trustworthy and the timing was due to it being the start of the political year and the caucus wanted its messages put out.

Dr Sharples said it was "absolutely rubbish" that he was already looking for a replacement and Mr Harawira could return if he followed the party rules.

The caucus considered the effect on the party but he didn't like seeing what Mr Harawira's actions did to his fellow MPs, Dr Sharples said.

- With NZPA