Maori MPs agree cash koha must go to party

Tariana Turia

All cash koha given to Maori Party MPs will be handed to the party, its parliamentarians agreed yesterday.

The party was forced to clarify its position after Hone Harawira, defending Labour MP Taito Phillip Field, said he had regularly taken cash koha, which was not always given to the party.

Co-leader Tariana Turia said this was not party policy, but her version of it appeared different from that of fellow co-leader Pita Sharples.

Yesterday, Mr Harawira, the MP for Te Tai Tokerau, was given a rap over the knuckles for breaching a party agreement not to talk about the Field issue.

Following a caucus meeting the party issued a statement reiterating Mrs Turia's view of the policy.

"The party has a clear policy on cash donations and koha."

That practice involved receipting any money internally when it was received - as was done with all other income the party got - and handing it over for party use, Mrs Turia said.

Dr Sharples said at the weekend he did not give people receipts for koha as it would be considered insulting.

Mrs Turia said no MPs carried receipt books around with them, but receipts would be created documenting the money within the party.

Mr Harawira had said earlier he had given koha to his local kura kaupapa in one instance.

Dr Sharples refused to say what he did with money he had received.

Mrs Turia said she had been assured by all the MPs that they had not personally kept any koha handed to them and "that's the important thing".

"At last week's caucus meeting, we agreed that the Maori Party would not make any further comment on the Ingram report [on the Field affair].

"This was the position that we consistently advised the media last week. The statements that Mr Harawira made on this issue are regretted."