Why Hone is a good activist but a lousy politician
September 15th, 2010 at 9:42 am by David FarrarThe Dom Post reports:
The Maori Party co-leaders have been forced into damage control to defend their decision to support new foreshore and seabed legislation after party MP Hone Harawira pulled his vote.
The Marine and Coastal Area Bill will have its first reading today and although the Maori Party had agreed to cast all five votes in support of it, yesterday Mr Harawira said he would not allow his vote to be used.
Most politicians do not decide whether or not to vote for a bill, based on whether they are absolutely happy with it. Otherwise, no bills would ever get passed.
The usual test that MPs apply, is “does this bill improve the status quo” or will New Zealand be a better place if the bill passes, rather than not passes.
So by this test, Hone Harawira’s decision not to support the Marine and Coastal Area Bill, is politically inept – it is effectively saying he prefers Labour’s Foreshore & Seabed Act.
Now of course he does not. So why is he voting against – well basically because he can. It allows him to remain “pure”. He says he wants the entire foreshore and seabed held in Maori title.
Ironically Hone’s stance probably helps National. They can point to it, as showing they did not go too far.
But Hone’s stance is very unfair to his colleagues. Hone knows the bill can pass without him, so he has the luxury of voting against. But his colleagues are forced to deal with real politik, and support the bill.
In terms of representing those with similar views to him, Hone is a very effective activist. But in terms of being able to achieve outcomes in Parliament, he is a pretty lousy MP. He puts his personal brand ahead of actually achieving things.
Related posts:
- Hone did a Gordon Copeland
- Hone’s comparison
- Maori views on Marine & Coastal Area Bill
- Harawira on FSA
September 15th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Hone isn’t even a good activist because he achieves f*** all.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Key, Hone, The Maori Party, the National Party- good of bad activists, they’re all politicians and foisting a racist tribalist regressive country splitting concept upon the people of NZ that the citizens neither wanted or voted for. Despicable.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 10:05 am
RB, there are similarities between you and Hone, both supporting more extreme policies and not wanting to settle for what is reasonably achievable.
The majority of voters seem to be still largely supportive of the largest party in parliament.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 10:14 am
I think that Hone’s actions enable the Māori party to keep the more radical activists alongside, and the simple fact is that without him to threaten the conservatives with, they wouldn’t have achieved what they have. Hone’s rôle is to sit at the back and grumble about every concession, to demand the moon, the stars and the the sun beside- and complain when they aren’t conceded. The Māori party leadership can then suggest a deal, with the unstated message- make the deal with Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples- or face Hone. Hone is a team player on a team that punches way above its weight.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I’m with Red on this his sentence nits it on the head.
Key is man of compromise not of principle.
He puts his personal brand ahead of actually achieving things.
I think you are wrong David, all of the Maori party know what they are doing with Hone as does key, he’s just playing the game.
Vote:The seats shouldn’t be there. rascist.
September 15th, 2010 at 10:48 am
I wonder if Hone dresses himself in the morning or if his mother still does.
He’s nothing more than a mouthpiece.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:05 am
As Garth George said a while ago in a column –
Ain’t it the truth.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:16 am
MikeNZ … this stupid system of Govt called MMP, dumped on us by the unthinking, forces compromise. Get used to it because that’s the reality until we are wise enoough to change it.
Meanwhile HH. ‘Revered’ among his constituents up here in the Far North becaise he panders to their every prejudice and actively fosters their ‘blame’ mentality …. and totally irrelevant in the wider scheme of things. Much like Anderton.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Ross … any form of democracy “forces” compromise. Are you suggesting we would be better with an autocracy?
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:40 am
A good Cartoon
Tom Scott’s Cartoon of 7/8/10
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Oops, that link didn’t work, so here is another go :
http://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com/2010/08/tom-scott-pulls-no-punches.html
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:51 am
The Maori party think they can have another go at the sea bed and foreshore act in the next parliament. I just hope John Key does not need to Maori party in the next parliament to form a government.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Pete … no, just responding to MikeNZ …”Key is a man of compromise, not of principle”. MMP forces compromise with bells on because it is almost impossible for a single Party to govern in in own right. Yes, right now the polls suggest National could but come election time I’m not so sure and Key is in there for the long haul and the long haul require coalition partners. ACT is one; UF might be; Labour, Greens, Progressives and Winston First all no and that leaves the Maori Party.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Australia has Puline Hansen, we have Honeboy the brown neck.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Fletch and Garth George hit the nail on the head.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
” MMP forces compromise with bells on because it is almost impossible for a single Party to govern in in own right. ”
Key had no need or voter’s mandate to form an alliance with the racist party. This was his choice, and a man more of principle (Don Brash?) would not have made such an agreement.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
My theory is that it was all decided by the Maori Party to have him not support it. Hell, it’ll go through easy with Labour, Green, Nat support, so what’s one person. With Hone not supporting the bill it gave JK the opening to deliver the lines that Hone has extremist views and don’t reflect the majority of New Zealanders, as if National is doing the “right” thing by us all.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
For Maori it’s about drawing lines in the sand… in sand thats constantly moving.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
That’s not Hone’s fault. Rather than wanting him to be more like the rest of them, we should be wanting the rest of them to be more like him: forthright and determined in “representing those with similar views to himself”. That’s why we elect the useless lickspittles.
I oppose his stance on this particular issue, but at the same time I’ll be cheering him on, He knows exactly who elected him, and he’s doing what they’d want him to do.
Since the issue here sems to be “party disloyalty” (since, as DPF says, his vote won’t even change the outcome) then I reiterate my view that we need to decouple our “representatives” from their cosy parties, where they are rewarded with safe seats and high list rankings precisely so they can afford to ignore us.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
The only slight problem with your analysis, David, is that the deal that Tariana Turia is voting for now is in essence the same compromise that was on the table when she left Labour in disgust because of it. It is also the same proposed compromise that caused National at the time to put billboards all over New Zealand saying “NO DEALS – THE BEACHES ARE FOR EVERYONE”. If you want to talk about getting things done, Tariana could have had this deal then but instead her defection from Labour caused the proposal to shift rightward in order to get Winston’s support. Hone Harawira is the only Maori Party MP with any integrity left on this issue.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Act is in big trouble and won’t be able to back the Nats up in 2011.The Maori Party will have the numbers next time round and no doubt will use them.
Vote:I have read through the bill and have found it to be as equally bad as Labour’s effort. It’s just badly drafted and has got the text confused with source material. For instance the bill is framed around the English equivalent but using Canadian protocols. In addition to that the bill also lifts passages from the treaty and superimposes it into legislation in a curious clunky fashion.
Due to these E & O’s I am obliged as a blogger to rip the lot to pieces.
September 15th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Hone just a side show for the Maori party to show what moderates they are .
Vote:The whole thing is bullshit. Key and the his sheep should be ashamed of themselves
September 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Hone is a racist tosser and only like-minded dickheads take any notice of him. The real worry is the Ngai Tahu lawyer, Finlayson, and his plan to avoid the courts when all the claims start coming in. Accountability of Maori claims is a joke and is only getting worser.
Vote:September 15th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Kevin H, does it mention anything about “Free” access to the beaches and foreshore”?
Vote:September 16th, 2010 at 1:03 am
This foreshore and seabed deal is not a white vs brown issue it is about who is the best group of people to manage the resources. At least Maori show respect for their resources and the sustainability of those resources, look at the mess different Councils and Multinationals have made of some of our waterways, the Waitara River in Taranaki, the Manukau Harbour and the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty are classic examples of poor environmental management.
Vote:September 16th, 2010 at 4:54 am
Hone does not really matter to the Government and god help us if in the next Parliament his vote is critical.
Vote: