Maori Party backs ETS despite rift - Sharples

Pita Sharples. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Pita Sharples Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has acknowledged a split of opinion among its supporters over the emissions trading scheme - but it was not enough to pressure the party into pulling out of supporting the scheme.

The scheme became law last night, passing by a slim majority of 63 votes to 58 and supported by National, the Maori Party and United Future's Peter Dunne.

The Maori Party came under fire during the debate yesterday after rumours there was pressure on its MPs to pull their support at the last minute.

The Maori Party moved quickly to reject it - Whip Te Ururoa Flavell told Parliament it would be sticking to its commitment and co-vice president Te Orohi Paul issued a statement saying the rumour was "mischief-making" and its national council was backing the MPs. "The Maori Party is a party of integrity and we will not welch on promises already made in good faith."

Maori Party leader Pita Sharples conceded there was some dissension among party membership, as there was across the wider community. He said the party's main governing body - the national council - had supported the leaders' steps after it was explained to them in two recent meetings.

He would not say whether Hone Harawira - a critic of the scheme but unable to cast his vote because of his absence - was happy.

"A lot of us don't support a lot of what's in it, but as a caucus we stand by our support. Everywhere we go the people are plus and minus, but the point is we've made a commitment and that's our integrity on the line."

However, the signs of discontent among wider party members provided ammunition for Labour MPs to attack the Maori Party.

Labour MP Shane Jones said its support for the bill in return for "trivial" concessions would be "fatal" for the party.

"The supporters of Hone Harawira have now got hold of the guillotine he brought back from Paris and they are applying it to the real culprits in this wretched affair - the leadership of the Party who have taken the proud name of Maoridom into this House and debased it."

The Maori Party's climate change spokeswoman Rahui Katene defended her party's stance. She said some of the criticism of the Maori Party was vitriolic and offensive - including Labour's David Cunliffe claim that the Maori Party had traded in its integrity for "beads and blankets" - a reference to the selling of land by Maori to settlers for minimal consideration. She also objected to Mr Jones claim that concessions for Ngai Tahu sold out low-income Maori for "a narrow, privileged, southern elite".

She said her party made no apologies for trying to soften the impact of the ETS on the Maori economy - the main drivers of which were fishing, farming and forestry.

The objections marred the day for Nick Smith, who had worked for months to secure enough support. He said getting it through before January 1 would save households about $150 a year in higher petrol and power prices. He will head to Copenhagen for international climate change talks on December 7.