Maori Party bridge building
November 18th, 2009 at 7:54 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
Controversial MP Hone Harawira has again stressed his determination to stay with the Maori Party, but admits “serious bridge building” is needed. …
I hope they do find way forward. I can’t see Harawira becoming an Independent MP as benefiting anyone (except Shane Jones). But it is possible too much water has gone under the bridge. Time will tell.
Related posts:
- Will the Maori Party have peace in our time?
- Maori Party schism looks likely
- Maori Party schisms
- Maori MPs on Shane Jones
November 18th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Abandoning racism would be a good start
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I hear thru the grapevine that John Boy Wee and that Maori Tele Puppy are giving Hone a forest to manage called Blackwood.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 8:48 am
My prediction:
Hone will be allowed to hang himself further by continuing to be a dick and by refusing to resign. Tariana will then cut him loose. Pita will say nothing (can’t confuse the voters even more). Hone will stand as an independent. Will win once or twice. Will assiduously work at righting the wrongs of colonialism by fleecing the taxpayers at every opportunity and talking shit.
Eventually he’ll run out of crap to talk and the voters of Tai Tokerau will see the light and come back into the Maori Party fold. If indeed it hasn’t folded itself, by then.
The Maori Party and NZ have benefited from this. An idea has come out of the closet, been found wanting and the messenger is currently being shot. Rather slowly. By hui.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 9:28 am
This story continues to amaze me.
It looks like the size of the dead rat is irrelevant to Neville Key, no matter the size Neville will swallow it.
Meanwhile our journalists continue to keep their heads firmly in the sand, have we seen Fran Mould chase John Harawira down the street asking “will you resign Hone”? , Harawira is getting what amounts to a free ride for no other reason than he is Maori.
The Nat’s and our media are silently praying that this story will go away.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I am still betting he will be forgiven and remain in the Maori Party. Remember there is one standard of behaviour for Maori and another for the rest of us, just as there is one set of laws for politicians and another for the rest of us.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I think Phil GOFF stuffed up again. Hone might have resigned and stood again for Liabour and probably won.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I thought that as well. Until I heard Tariana Turia speaking last week on National Radio. She was talking very calmly and quietly about Hone in the past tense. Listening between the lines she seemed to be saying “Ask whatever you like, but I won’t be drawn into putting the knife into Hone again in public. I don’t need to because I’ve already done that behind the scenes.”
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
If he does resign it will save the taxpayer. Then there won’t be any need to shower his supporters with ETS Carbon Credits as result of ‘revisiting the effect of the ETS on the Treaty’ which Nick Smith is currently negotiating away.
Most hapu simply want recognition of the wrongs of the past and their land back, others are after more and se the ETS as a way to get it.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 11:44 am
I think if he resigns and doesn’t stand again, someone else with his views will pop up. I think it would be better for him carry on as the standard-bearer and take those ideas to their (dead) end.
Kind of like antibiotics. You’ve got to use the whole pack otherwise you’re just encouraging a resistant strain.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 11:47 am
With all respect, you’d have to have YOUR head in the sand if you haven’t noticed that Harawira is on a hiding to nothing from everyone except (apparently) voters in his own electorate.
National didn’t ask Richard Worth to resign for a similar offence, the Maori party pretty much have. WHat’s your problem? Open your eyes, smell the coffee, read the papers & watch the news.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 11:52 am
hone harawira has a raft of options..
http://whoar.co.nz/2009/comment-whoarwhat-hone-harawira-should-do/
(this news report sums up where hone stands now..)
“..Hone Harawira will spend the next fortnight with family and supporters back home before deciding whether to call the Maori Party’s bluff.
Co-leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples made it clear yesterday that there was little prospect of the maverick MP rehabilitating himself and the party was “moving on”.
Asked whether the party could still work with Mr Harawira if he promised to mend his ways, Mrs Turia responded: “I don’t think Hone is likely to change.”
MPs are due back in Parliament next week after a two-week recess, but Mr Harawira has been given two weeks’ leave to consult his electorate.
He has been asked to quit or face being pushed after an expletive-filled outburst over a public backlash to his unscheduled trip to Paris.
But sources suggested a challenge over the party’s actions as a breach of its constitution was possible .. indicating that Mr Harawira may call its bluff.
Dr Sharples made it clear yesterday that Mr Harawira was damaging the party, after his outburst accusing “white motherf…ers” of “raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries” stirred up a race relations hornet’s nest.
“We’re having difficulty controlling him, let’s be straight up about that,” Dr Sharples said.
“Tariana has had 600 emails as a response to the email Hone sent. I’ve had hundreds as well. Quite clearly there is concern about his behaviour.”
Mr Harawira could either remain in Parliament as an independent, or quit Parliament altogether, forcing a by-election.
He was keeping his head down yesterday and refused to comment..”
now..it is somewhat clear that harawira is being given the bums’ rush..
and let’s be clear here..
this is not about a paris trip..nor his demand for summary justice for goff/labour over the foreshore and seabed debacle..
this is the power struggle between turia and harawira coming to a head..
driven by the outspoken (private) opposition from harawira to what he sees as the maori party selling out to national..
and supporting legislation that is hurting maori..
(and..yahaftasay..he does have a point..)
now..harawira may be nurturing rejection-wounds at the moment..
..but he would be wise to see this as an opportunity..
as it stands..he has three options..
he can try to stay in the maori party..and fight his dismissal on constitutional grounds..
he can resign from the maori party..and stand as an independant..
or he can resign..and have a bye-election..
if he chooses the first option..and after a ‘messy’ battle..wins..what is he left with..?
the old problems won’t have gone away..and in fact will be compounded..
(both on the personal and political levels..)
the second option means he will be isolated..
and will have to fight the battle to retain the seat..in the general meelee of a general election..
where he/the fight will be a sideshow..
or he can chose to have that fight now..
which is the third option..
harawira should call their bluff/force a bye-election..now..
he can set up his new party..get a list together..and go for it..in a battle that will receive centre-stage attention from the media..
and when ..as expected by all..he wins..he will be the leader of a new political party..
(with all the attendant funding/infrastructure support..
and well set up to fight the next general election..)
what’s not to like about all that..?
and who should he have as number two on his new party list..?
(with a guaranteed co-leader slot..?)
how about sue bradford…?
between them they have at their hands the tools to set up a new..entirely viable centre-left party..
focussing on those who have been so studiously ignored by both national and labour..
and yes..of course that includes maori..
.but not only maori..
bradford would bring the disaffected left from the labour movement with her..
and together they would form a powerful new force/voice..
..for the empowering of the disempowered..
(and this new party will have the ’security’ of that northern maori seat..as their power-base)
as i said..what’s not to like about all that..?
and really..
that is the best option for both hone harawira..
..and those he seeks to represent/fight for..
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
What PhilU – Real words? A whole page of cut/paste.
I only read the real bit at the bottom.
A proper giggle there, “bradford would bring the disaffected left from the labour movement with her..
and together they would form a powerful new force/voice..”
LOL the mental imagery is great.
A bit like the Islamic suicide bombers who self destruct before they get into a crowd of military.
Would be the shortest fuse ever.
What a mess to cleanup. I hope no innocent parties get hurt.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Tariana will take this golden opportunity to cut the Harawira’s loose this time. She knows, as does Sharples, that if she doesn’t they risk an internal coup at some point. Hone is doing is mother’s bidding as usual. His mother continues to pull the strings from behind the scenes, and in this case the strings are for the control of the Maori Party leadership. Why do you think Tariana miraculously changed her mind to stay on in the leadership for the next five years? She’s well aware the Harawira’s were positioning themselves for a hostile takeover, before Hone Harawira arrogantly shot his mouth off without a thought for the implications of the Harawira end game. Why do you think he’s desperate to stay inside the ranks now, even though he hates being in partnership with National? Because his mother will have made crystal clear the consequences he faces from her if he doesn’t. As he has said himself publicly he is scared of her, and she can’t influence policy her way if she has no political vehicle from which to do it.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Shane Jones also needs to come clean about his relationship to the Harawira’s. He is Hone’s first cousin.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
what does jones have to ‘come clean about’..?
is he his cousins’ keeper..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Looks like he looked over the precipice and saw nothing politically so he will row back and ask for forgiveness and Tariana and Pita will give it to him. But the Labour Party are stirring the pot. The Maori Party know they either deal with National or Labour and the Labour Party are their political enemy in the maori seats. As Shane Jones reminds them. Tariana knows this very well.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Turiana and all the Maori Party are all racists which is why hone is staying. Plus Key just gave maori another 25 million a year I thought John Key was suppose to cut out extra taxes for us. Since National has been in, taxes are going up in the way of acc and now through electricity and petrol (again!) and this will raise everything else like food because of this ETS. Sad, really, he lied and so did English and Nick Smith. These guys aren’t for real. Bring back Don Brash! At least there wouldn’t be a worry about how much John Key is going to continue to give Maori. All senseless bullshit.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Philu
While in the public eye Shane Jones and Hone Harawira are seen to be political enemies, behind the scenes you can guarantee there will be plenty of familial wheeling and dealing back on the marae up in the Far North that will be contributing to the politics of this whole affair. You think Labour and the Maori Party are completely separate entities and family connections across party lines don’t come into it? Think again. Shane Jones and Hone Harawira are best mates and what you read in the media about Shane Jones challenging Hone Harawira etc is a just show put on for the gullible. Shane Jones has a long history of putting himself first (he was groomed by his tribe from a young age to take up the mantle, and has cultivated an air of arrogance and sense of entitlement to go with it) and this fiasco is another opportunity to leverage himself a better political footing.
Tribal politics in Te Tai Tokerau are fierce, but they’ll both be working out how the collective whanau and tribe comes off best, first off. Which brings me right back to my point about Titewhai Harawira’s aspirations. And Shane Jones’ aspirations.
Don’t think Titewhai Harawira won’t back Labour again. If in time it suits her to do so she will. Once the seabed and foreshore act is repealed and something more palatable is in place and a bit of water has flowed under the bridge…And this is why Tariana Turia has stayed on to ensure this particular whanau don’t end up running the show. Because if they do, and Shane Jones is in a future position of power within Labour it won’t be for the good of Maori collectively, it’ll be for the good of the Harawira/Jones whanau and giving voice to their vision of grievance and collonialism which will drive social and economic policy in this country. I really hate to echo Winston Peters, but we will end up with even more racially divisive policies than we have now, and it will start to look like Zimbabwe because the Harawira’s have always hated whites with a vengeance. Anyone familiar with the Far North and especially Te Tii where the Harawira’s come from will be fully aware of the hostility in the atmosphere. Just as anyone familiar with Bridge Pa will be aware of the Awatere-Huata’s holding the Hawkes Bay to ransome with their bullying and hostile behaviours.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Sarkozygroupie
Thanks for the erudite observations. The Harawira hatred for all things European is very evident in the media – (though the inherent contradictions evident in their having European things and clothing, and using European transport and media probably escapes them).
Because this hatred is so obvious and evident, could you give any idea why this should be so? Is it ‘inherited’ (passed down from generation to generation and growing like a snowball as it does-so) or is it much more localised and personal?
Titiewhai especially, seems to have a ‘Bee in her bonnet’ about Europeans which she has very successfully passed-around amongst her family and immediate whanau, so the question has to be asked – ‘Why?”
Thanks.
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
wow..!..you guys really have racism that is toxic..eh..?
and..groupie..!
..what a little ripper of a conspiracy theory…!
(and mum harawira is running the whole gig..eh..?)
btw..a few years back..i spent about six weeks staying in te tii..
and as a pakeha..all i can say is that i felt welcomed..and didn’t experience any of what you claim i would experience there..
interesting how i can provide a personal rebuttal to that particular part of yr pile of horseshit..
..eh..?
all the ‘hatred’ around here..ie spewing from you racists..
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Actually the only people who like the Nag Puhi are Nga puhi and even then I ‘m not so sure.
Te Arawa despise them and locally they call them “bush pigs”.
Nga puhi raped and murdered all up and down the cost both sides so they do not have favoured nation status with any of the other tribes.
Best thing is for Harawira to stay, get booted out but stay. That way the Nats will take more notice of Act and no have to bend to the Racist Party.
Vote:Now wouldn’t that be nice.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Fuck off, phil
You’re just excited that someone took your serial, Witi Ihimaera-like copy and paste job that you, rather euphemistically, call “posts” that seems to mirror exactly whats on your website but no one really goes there so you have to repeat every thing here and discuss because no one finds “whoar” remotely interesting, ….. errr ……seriously!
Oooooh, shit. Did I just say that out loud?
Vote:November 18th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Reckon we won’t hear much more about it – Mr Hawawira’s worked out what he’s worth in the private sector. But he won’t apologize to us – those bridges he’ll be building’ll be Mangere ones.
Vote:November 19th, 2009 at 7:02 am
you are such a brain dead moron whore…and your website is like a graveyard heh !
Vote:November 19th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Komata, thanks.
As to what drives the hostility I expect there are a number of drivers and I wouldn’t pretend to know them all. A few concern the depth of entrenched poverty in some areas such as Kaeo, Kawakawa, Kaikohe, the Peria Valley (and there are many more smaller settlements in the same boat) leading to a feeling of grievance that the whites are better off (and they are, especially the many Germans, South Africans etc that live there building and buying often grand houses), the feeling is that this is usually at the expense of Maori (although I’m not sure how this supposed cause and effect works); the very high level of constant drug use (dope and alcohol) in particular enclaves and growing of marijuana leading to vast inequalities in income levels and pretty high levels of paranoia. When you see a very expensive drug car coming down the main highway you avert your eyes. The police are seen as part of the white man’s legacy up there so that adds to the hostility. It’s a pretty isolated part of the country especially in the very far north and over across to Rawene and Kohukohu so people are less involved in mainstream society, so to speak, and see themselves as separate from the rest of the country to some extent. But mainly it is the poverty, intergenerational unemployment which is now a way of life for many, the hardship of that life and the need to place the blame and/or responsibility for that on someone other than themselves, because they really are carrying grievances (real or perceived) from 1840.
This group of poor and discontented Maori seek to find some equity in the white/brown equation but lack the ability (education and resources) to do so on their own and this frustration gives rise to hostile behaviour generally evidenced by flouting the “white man’s” laws. The contemporary hostility is akin to the attitude we see from Tuhoe. Except Tuhoe never signed the Treaty so are technically not part of colonial New Zealand. They are their own nation and resist Europeans because of that status, where Nga Puhi have been subsumed and I think they have never come to terms with European colonisation. As I mentioned earlier historical factors play a big role – remember Keri Keri and environs make up a big part of the colonisation of New Zealand and there was plenty of Maori violent resistance.
The Harawira’s have drive, they are articulate and analytical. They act as lightening rods for the disenfranchised and they stir the level of discontent found among poor Maori up there and channel it into activism. I think there is also just a good dose of reverse racism going on without any sociological reasons behind it.
Vote: