Maori Party
August 29th, 2005 at 7:03 pm by David FarrarMany on the left, including Jordan Carter, have claimed for months that the Maori Party is “a party of the conservative right, which would be much more comfortable in coalition with parties … National and ACT – than it would be dealing with the progressive elements in National and with the bulk of the Labour Party.”
Now seeing the Maori Party’s Hone Harawira has just compared Don Brash to Adolf Hitler, would people like to revise their predictions?
No tag for this post.
August 29th, 2005 at 7:27 pm
You know people only read Jodan Carter when they can;t get drugs and need to lose their grip on reality don’t you.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
Pita Sharples confirmed on TV1 tonight that Brash’s Te Tiriti policy means the MP cannot support the Gnats.
Winston has called the tax cuts ‘untenable’ and he is most unlikely to take too kindly to the Gnats being supported by the Roundtable who he slammed during the Whinebox inquiry and much of the 90′s.
That leaves……..um……….er…………oh, Peter Dunne, maybe.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 7:57 pm
Harawira was great!
He could not have helped the Nats more!
G
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:03 pm
You bad man G, ver bad man
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:05 pm
I agree Gman,
Harawira is the Nats secret weapon, please lets hear more of him!!
A good day for the Nats getting on the front foot, Brash looking and sounding a lot more Prime Ministerial. Also Brownlee on TV and radio was assertive with the interviewers.
Clark sounds rather negative now like a Leader of the Opposition???
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:15 pm
Will Clark be able to get into bed with the “haters and wreckers” of not so long ago.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:20 pm
I think things are turning the corner.
National is setting the agenda and in the news. The ‘crazy’ left labelling Brash is a turn off.
National is gaining momentum, it’s now for Labour to try and wrestle back the initiative.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:31 pm
the Maori Party would be fools to go into coalition with anyone this time – they should sit on the cross benches a la the Greens and support (or oppose) issue by issue. clearly the latest attacks by Brash are a bridge too far for the Maori Party, but interesting that they were still considering him up until this point, given that Orewa was almost two years ago and none of this stuff released today is new or different.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 8:44 pm
If the Maori Party gets more seats in the house. I wonder whether they will be a one term wonder?
Vote:After all Turiana Turia has said she will only stay for one more term
August 29th, 2005 at 9:33 pm
You Nats are like a bunch of optimists standing in a darkened room, long after the lights have been switched off and everyone
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 10:10 pm
I have long been considering voting Maori. I have a great deal of time for Tariana and Pita. I saw their regular if minor stumbles as signs of political idealism, and perhaps naivite, and believe that to not necessarily be a bad thing.
I was worried when Harawira was announced as a candidate in a major seat, but was prepared to give him a chance – I don’t wish the sins of the mother to be visited on the son. But the more I saw, the more disturbed I became. Eye2Eye should be required viewing for anyone interested in NZ politics, and it did make my eyes blink in suprise a few times.
Since then, the comments comparing Brash to Hitler, the comments on Donna Awatere-Huata, on Zimbabwe, on the ideal retirement age for Maori, have all disturbed me further.
I believe the Maori party had the opportunity to provide a welcome independent voice for Maori in Parliament, but I see many of their comments as arising from a persecution complex now.
Most disturbing of all, I hear Tariana talking about how her party is looking for a ‘Treaty Partner’ in government, as if her party is the ordained and embodied representative of those chiefs who signed te tiriti.
I’m sad that this is how it’s worked out, and I can’t see the Maori party surviving as a genuine player of influence as a result. I fear that it will further push many Maori outside the political structures of NZ, when it had the opportunity to do the reverse. Such a shame.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 10:49 pm
If ACT gets back in I feel they should say…”What ?,National? you want a coalition with us now!!!??. You go to hell, You go to hell and you die!”…
But most likely we will sigh, ruffel young Brashs hair(what there is of it) and get on with teaching the lad just how MMP and the world in general really works…..
Its hell being a big brother to a spolit brat…;-)
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 11:08 pm
James:
Almost as annoying as listening to small ego-centric children with delusions of importance. You know, if certain sections of ACT spent as much time campaigning as they do sniping and bitching and whining about National we wouldn’t be having this conversation. ACT would be outpolling the margin of error.
Sorry, sweetie, but I’m not wearing out my last pair of sensible shoes for ACT or New Zealand First or some coalition-gaming hack. I’m working to maximise National’s party and electorate vote. Have a problem with that? Leave a message, though the person who cares won’t be returning your call.
Vote:August 29th, 2005 at 11:39 pm
Craig….you go girl! ;-0
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 1:56 am
Hone Harawira doesn’t speak for the Maori Party, he isn’t a list candidate and has on numerous occassions expressed dissatisfaction and dissagreement with the Maori Party leadership.
If he manages to win Te Tai Tokerau, he will not stay with the Maori Party.
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 7:42 am
National’s strategy once again seems to play against it.
If the analysis that Brash is driving Maori away from the Maori party back to Labour is correct (see today’s Herald) then all he has done is help to ensure his party won’t govern.
National seem to want to govern alone, as other commentators have said here, they don’t understand MMP. They have provided an onbject lesson in how to gain a few votes and destroy any supporting parties.
What will become of National if(when?) they lose this election?
I predict they will gain more seats, but not enough to govern alone, and they won’t be able to form a coalition either: it will be a Labour led coaltion again. What will the Nats do then?
Brash will be dumped and blamed of course, but then what? Unless they learn, they will follow ACT into oblivion.
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 8:37 am
Listen very carefully and learn.
It does not matter whether you start from the right, the left, or even the middle.
You will still cut your throat.
Choose wisely.
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 9:15 am
three things
Vote:Keep up the good work Hone. You are almost as barking mad as your mother? Titewai. By showing the unreasonableness of your party, you have done wonders for National nationally and Labour in the Maori seats.
One thing that puzzles me about the expression “playing the race card,” which was used by both newsreaders on the late news.
To me, it implies you are playing an Ace, and that by playing this card you are gaining an advantage. Thus, perhaps without realiseing it, the lefties are stating that their own views on the issue are unpopular. After all, if a card would not help you win, it would not be played.
Final thing. Much as I would love Rodney and Don to walk arm in arm down the streets of Epsom with Don saying “Vote for Hide” it is less likely to happen if ACT-ivists and Nats are snapping at each other.
Such division between the right and centre right only help Labour. So if a Nat wants to attack ACT or vice versa, remeber who will benefit from your comments. And if it isn’t the right, then please save your comments until September 18.
August 30th, 2005 at 9:42 am
Clark may still need the Maori Party. Labour Greens & Maori could all work together, at the end of the day Maoris will want a say! I can’t imagine them wanting to sit on the fence.
Vote:I realize where Craig is coming from, but if National has a tremedous surge, but no coalition partner. It will be like saying.. We won the battle, but lost the war.
In the MMP game you need all the friends you can get.
August 30th, 2005 at 10:19 am
What Craig said… but not qite so gay.
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 10:25 am
How ironic that commenters call Brash racist; when the Maori Party basically wants apartheid.
The Maori Party reminds me of the National Front.
Vote:August 30th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
Well said peasant If you consult the Oxford Dictionary you find the definitions of racist and aparthied apply to the Maori Party policies Oh I forgot the Oxford Dictionary was written by the hated white colonialists so we should ignore it
Vote: