Since seeing Hone Harawira squirm last December as the Government his party supports introduced the 90 day fire at will bill, I have privately suggested he would not see another Christmas within the Maori Party. Can’t imagine he’s felt any better about the party’s position on ACC ‘reforms’, its humiliating treatment over Maori Television’s RWC bid or the failure to secure Maori representation on the Auckland Super City council.
Only 7 weeks to go, but his public bollocking today over his Paris side-trip by party co-leader Tariana Turia is only enhancing that prediction. For her to be so publicly mana-reducing without having spoken to him privately, speaks volumes about the tensions in the relationship. Something more than an expletive-filled email has to blow.
I don’t think so, everyone knows what Hone’s about… He’s just be a little more honest than usual the last week…
Hone Harawira may be a Maori Party MP, but he is an elected member of the House of Representatives first.
To express such contempt for the majority of the people who he is meant to be representing in his email rant, and boorishly dare someone to publish such views, is completely unacceptable behaviour.
I don’t really care if he took the day off to see Paris with his wife.
But his “sick” excuse is pathetic, and his email deeply shocking.
[...] Burns has blogged that Hone looks likely to go.
For anyone who would like to take a punt: http://www.hubdub.com/m58576/From_which_political_party_will_the_next_MP_to_leave_the_New_Zealand_Parliament_come_from
I hope he’s gone… there is no room in NZ for people with this sort of attitude. It’s actually sad that he really thinks like that… kinda pathetic aswell…
Not a chance, Mr Burns. I think Hone will stay right where he is – Turia knows how Hone has an ability to engage with the Maori Party’s core constitunency in a way she can only dream of. At a time when Turia and Shapples are crapping on about their Mana Enhancing relationship with the Tories, they need everything they can get, and culling Hone would be disasterious.
http://lifeandpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/theres-something-about-hone/
Jeremy being a racist has nothing to do with increasing Mana. What he said was clearly more than just an angry expletive. If any non Maori MP had used a term along those lines they would be out the door before the ink dried on the press release.
If he really wants to cause trouble for the Nats, he should just stay in Parliament and say lots of nice things about John Key.
I like him – calls a spade a spade, and frankly I agree to some extent that when you are all that way over there you can’t not visit – BUT – why not go afterward? Why not take a day or two unpaid leave, extend the flight home out a few days and go then?
On the positive side, he did do what was asked, checked with the people there and worked around it. Shame about this – as it shows an untrustworthy side.
Throw him out – no way. He keeps people on their toes – when you listen to him speak in the house, his points are usually valid, well thought out and entertaining. (the ones I have heard)
other MPs have done worse things than that – no need to go into detail here – too many examples – but you would be reluctant to have him lead other delegations…
(bet he makes the nats nervous – all the more reason to keep him there.
Random factoids:
Key hongies-up with the MP to keep ACT from wagging the dog: because the polls say ACT policy is poll poison.
MP swallows many rats in anticipation of F&S success:
F&S just kicked to touch, pay-off unlikely.
Gustafsen says Key’s greatest achievement has been to do nothing. Ouch.
80% of the public says his greatest achievement was Letterman. Double ouch.
Constant pressure from BRT et al.
ACT spits on Key and he shrugs.
Hone is Hone and Key lambasts him.
Pressure to act about to be ACTed on? Tail about to screw dog? Dog positioning to “have no choice” and be “relaxed about it”?
Careful what you wish for. Target privatisation, not Hone.
going on the trip is not that bad… but then going on to justify it by saying white people have been raping these lands (and i’m saying it nicly) so i’ll rape the taxpayer is the more worrying part… a comment I read somewhere sums it up “It’s a long way to Paris Via Waka.. Therefore Mr Harawira should get with the times and not keep living in the past” .. Once again NZ accepts racism ‘cos he’s a maori… Imagine if Goff blurted out “bloody Maoris” He would be dead!!!! Racism should never be tolerated even if it is from a maori!!!
Theres a couple of issues here.
The email is a concern sure, but what I don’t understand is why it went to the media – what someone says in what they think is a private email, should never have been leaked to the media. Whomever leaked it is as badly behaved. Yes, he is an MP and as such should be a bit more careful, and the words are offensive – but remember where Hone’s roots lie – as a Maori activist the comments are in context – no one would have been offended by these private comments if they had remained private. (because we would not have been privy to his private thinking – god forbid that we were to hear all of the mps private thoughts – imagine it! The public would be horrified – take Hides latest comments in what he said was to ‘friends’)
As stated above, I would not like to see him gone – tamed somewhat perhaps – but not gone. This weekends hui will be interesting.
ps if the people who voted him in want him to step down because of this, well, I suspect he will. They are the people who matter the most to him – but I am not sure that this will be the outcome.
“god forbid that we were to hear all of the mps private thoughts – imagine it! The public would be horrified” – I don’t wanna know, shudder
Not MY business 
Halloween was LAST week. 
Perhaps Hone is finding like Winston, it is far easier to be in opposition complaining about the system. When you have the ability and authorithy to chnage things it is very daunting. There are very few who can promote or construct something. A protestor reacts, perhaps he prefers to be seen as a rebal instead of a builder?
“Turia knows how Hone has an ability to engage with the Maori Party’s core constitunency in a way she can only dream of.”
Would somebody enlighten me as to what kind of core constituency supports the defrauding of taxpayers money and use of racist abuse?
Racist abuse? Best we not have double standards here. What he said privately is no worse than things Winston has said, or Brash, in the public arena. It was leaked to the media and is now in the public eye – which is going to inflame things.
I am not convinced he defrauded anyone – the side trip was paid for by him – sure he was leading the group but the work still got completed. Not that different to Hide going to his girlfriends brothers wedding – how much money was spent on that? How was that different – sounds like a ’side trip’ to me. Is that fraud? Back to double standards.
I can’t believe some are saying “good on him etc”.
Swap Hone with John Key calling Maori or Labour members or ANYONE in that way and would your feelings be the same???
I wonder what parlament with 120 odd (maybe odd in not politically correct) MP’s with Hone’s honesty .. Question time would be fun aye?
Someone, can’t remember who, said a few months ago that Hone was losing interest in being an MP and would pull the pin sometime soon.
I wonder if this is his way of getting mana enhanced by being fired defending “his people”.
This is not a John Key problem either.
Paul, what Rodney Hide said about John Key was a private conversation leaked to the media.
Mmm what would happen if I entered a Marae and told a kumatua that they were black m******f******? Quite rights I would be beaten to an inch of my life.
The difference between Rodney and Hones is that Rodney went on his jaunt AFTER he discharged his duty to the taxpayer while Hone decided to do a runner BEFORE. Considering Hones racial supremcist views attending a conference on multiculturalism would have been an anathema to his beliefs not to mention its dullness so one can’t really blame him.
What’s your point with the moral equivelency argument? It’s disgusting whoever uses it and I’m not convinced Brash is a racist given if choice of partner.
JD a racist is someone with predetermined views on a or many races.
Paul I am worried for you that you can justify hones position, he lied initially on why he was unable to attend (He was sick). It is not a great look, and his language and givening the rest of NZ the bird does not sit well with me. How was it leaked? Hone reported on his actions. This is a first the subject leaked it and you find that a reason to protect him. What next Bill E leaks his trust position, but tit is ok because it was leaked ? I think Trev would have something to say about that !!
Is there onyone in Wellington not snorting the trough?
@JD ummm – what Hone said was NOT on a marae – it was in a private email. Yes – you would have got a hiding if you had said something like that on a Marae – as I suspect Hone would have got one too if he had said it to a group of pakeha. But he didn’t, So I am not sure how this applies?
- you said “What’s your point with the moral equivelency argument?”
Not sure I follow where you are heading with this. Sorry.
@Herodotus – I agree re saying he was sick – not a good look. I did say re his side trip that he should have taken some unpaid leave and completed that afterwards. I also stated he – according to accounts – did do the work. The porky about being sick is something I did not know about in earlier posts and that is something that his leadership will need to deal with.
What I am saying re leaking is in relation to the email. It was, from my understanding, not meant for the public arena. I also do not like his comments personally – but I am not convinced he meant for it be public – and therefore I do not take it personally. This is not justifying him at all – simply a different POV on it. As a kiwi, I did take Winstons and Brashes comments personally because they were directed to a public audience. And, not a reflection on what everyone thinks.
Paul, if yo could understand WHAt Winston meant yo are better than me and perhaps should talk to Wiinston to explain just what he DID say.
I am worried why for such a short trip did he take his wife? I could understand if he extended his stay by a week or 2. As we have all read on blogs/papers/Tv/radio all politicians corrospondance should be taken as being public. Anyone can make a press statement reviewed by spin drs, but how do we find out what people really think. Were D Brashes emails intended for public? yet look what has eventuated from them!
I still think he wants to be the rebel and you cannot do that when you are part of the government. The sad thing that he has done is to allow the red necks some air, just what we need!
If you don’t realize that lots of other Maori share his views , you are very , very naive..I would say these views are prevalent in AK and further north.
Good on you Paul. Best comments I have seen. There’s a lot of double standards being applied here. Of course the email wasn’t meant for public consumption so who leaked it? Buddy Mikaere – who started it by sending Hone a provocative email in the first place? Whoever it was, it wasn’t a mature thing to do. If Hone Harawira walks from the M.P. over this, I hope he takes all of his M.P.constituency members with him.
@Herodotus – Can anyone understand Winston? His comments in the past have been offensive – and frankly, the public that supported his non inclusive anti multicultural approach are as bad.
Who would know why he did not extend the trip – I would have. Seems alot of money to go all that way for such a short time – perhaps he had stuff to do in his electorate…he does seem committed to his voters – and I do like that in him. After cambell live – they seem to support him and I guess in politics what the rest of us think is not important – unless we voted his way. The Maori party will need to decide if what he is doing impacts on them, because I agree with you – I think he has forgotten which side he is on now and the rebel with too many causes is likely to bite him, if not now, soon. Unless he repents – which could be a mission. Ten bucks says he did not support being part of the Nats team – not that we are likely to hear that out loud.
Its always been of interest to me that the Maori party are in bed with Act and Nat – I guess better to be a decider than not. I still think it may fall to custard at some point tho.
Perhaps Hone can jump ship to join Labour – that could be entertaining.
“but I am not convinced he meant for it be public – and therefore I do not take it personally.”
One could also argue the opposite, that because it was private then he articulated his true feelings. It will be interesting how far is retraction goes: for embarassing his party or calling us white mofos. My money is on the former.
Paul, I would suggest you read NZ Unleashed by Stephen Carden. From reading this I wondered what diveret Maori from succeeding (In modern day terms). Maori have had such wonderful role models. e.g Maori battalion, Govt General, Religious leaders.
Also not to sure that Lab have done Maori many favours in the past, given the almost devout support that Maori have given labour.
@Theresaj – For many Maori, their veiw is justified – not that I intend to go into that side issue here, as it will be moderated and this is about Hone. So, actually, while it might be hard to listen to Hone’s private and grumpy thoughts being aired to all, just have a wee think about how many pakeha air the same kinds of comments but reversed. That is why I can not take it as a personal attack. It I did, it would justify the remarks I hear pakeha making in reverse (not just about maori but asians, pacifica, etc)- all the time. I am not Naive – quite the contrary – I can see both sides of an issue.
This isn’t a private email!! you must actually read the news before jumping to conclusions… “Then he added a postscript saying he should feel free to go to the media.” that from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3037942/PM-Harawiras-white-tirade-deeply-offensive. He told buddy to take it public and i’m sure that he knew that it probably would go public…. I don’t care if this is the view of all maoris in NZ it’s racist sad and disgusting and for anyone to say oh well it’s kinda private is closing their eyes to the facts!!! I’m dissapointed usually the posters here are well informed…
P.S. I think Labour should really put it self out there about this, I know that the maori party was a support party in the last labour govt. but i think that it is important that Labour seperate themselves from this sort of thing. Labour and Maori are always closly linked and I think there are some free political points on offer with John Key’s response being not that strong. Mr. Goff in particular should do all he can to get in the media and make sure that he is heard saying that this sort of thing just isn’t on. Could be a defining moment for labour if the cards are played right.
Also do standing orders allow for oppositon parties or any one in parliment to ask the speaker for the removal of Hone. Even if it gets declined the stand might attract some positive attention for labour.
I wonder if our important and unelected race relations commissioner will give Hone a certificate?
@nOexit.
Don’t be a fool. That’s the last thing Labour should do…
“put itself out there about this”. This is not Labour’s fight. Let the protagonists sort it out among themselves.
BTW the Maori Party was not a support party in the Labour government. They sat on the cross-benches and agreed to support confidence and supply only.
And it was a private email. Sure, Hone had been angered and provoked, and probably added it as a rider because he knew that is what Buddy Mikaere – or someone linked to him – was likely to do.
I agree – It would be an extremely bad look for Goff and Labour to say such a thing.
It really is interesting how people get their boxers in a twist when Maori say something like this but turn a blind eye when others do the reverse. Says a lot about us as a country.
I did not see that particular report where he said take it to the media – it was not reported in what I read or saw on the news – but regardless, I still think it was a private email and I feel sad that some people get all out of context regards this but sanction others who are pubic. Like I stated before, I have no intention of hijacking this thread with either a history lesson or the many many instances of this in reverse.
As for Labour getting in on the bandwagon – that would be just the thing that would feed the Nats – and something best left to Tariana and Pita to deal with. Let his voters decide if they think Hone is doing what they elected him to do – and given what I have seen of his voters, it would seem he does. All the outrage is just what Hone wants – you are buying into it.
Are me and Hone the only ones in the whole country who have thrown a sickie?
Is Hone factually incorrect about European colonisation?
Was Hone just taking the piss about raping the taxpayer?
Is the true villain here the prick who leaked a private conversation?
Yes, I know Hone dared him too…silly bugger.
I like Hone, although I have never met him.
I say read section 14 of the Bill of Rights and move on…
Those in the Northern Maori electorate (sorry can’t remember the correct name) get to decide their thoughts on the matter in two years time, if they’re unhappy they’ll take the Labour candidate and if they’re happy or unhappy is all that really matters…
Bunking off when he’s supposed to be representing New Zealand at a conference on taxpayer funds is plainly unethical. The fact that he seems to feel it is justified is worse than unethical. I am reminded of Taito Phillip Field.
And this is the second time he’s done it.
Alright so the labour talking it up thing was over the top… but Paul you you have to be joking if you think that people turn a blind eye when there is racism towards maori. Like I said before, if a non-maori member of parliment, lets just say Phil Goff for example, said “These m*****f****** maoris have been raping the taxpayer for too long” in a private email that was leaked do you really think that no one would take notice… Do you really think that Goff would survive for another second. NO! To have any MP making any racist remark semi-private or not is disgusting and there is no way to justify it. You find me one example of a white MP who has made a remark even simmilar to what Hone has said and if you can find one tell me what happened to them. I bet there won’t be anyone that comes close to this sort of thing.
Also I think NZ is getting kinda sick of this “holier than thou” attitude coming from maori. We’re all a part of NZ now wether maori like it or not and we all need to be treated as equal members of society.
Lots of intersting responses to yesterday’s post on Hone but not many on the original point made – that he might quit the Maori Party; not just because of the scorching response by Tariana and others to his Paris jaunt and subsequent email, but his discomfort about being an MP within a party that acquiesces to government polices such as ACC cuts, hire at will bill, Super City representation etc.
Dompost has pickd up on this today -
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3040462/Harawira-hints-at-quitting
Hone’s done us all a favour if he’s woken up the Dom-Post!
Because one issue arising from all this is the absolute yawning chasm between the conventional wisdom of the MSM and the reality out where the real folks live.
MSM version of the past twelve months:
“Look, John Key is having a cup of tea with Tariana, and sharing a joke with cuddly Pita, and they’re all smiles, so everything’s fine with the Maori Party, therefore everything’s fine with Maori.”
In reality, Hone Harawira speaks to a widespread discontent. His language was offensive, and he’ll get an official ticking-off, but the Maori Party won’t expel an MP for saying what many of them think. And if he quits, he’ll take the party activists with him.
Note to Wellington journalists: baubles buy two Ministers, not an entire people.
So, if Hone Harawira quits both the Maori Party and Parliament, there’ll be a by-election. I don’t think Harawira would quit the Maori Party, and not quit Parliament. I also assume that the Maori Party would do whatever they can not to lose the electorate. It will be interesting to see how this has gone by Tuesday.
Jabba. You seem to be claiming that Hide’s comments on John Key were in a private conversation. No, it was a public speech, given as an ACT party breakfast fundraiser, to which people outside of the ACT party had been invited to hear the Rodney Hide if they paid $45.
I assume the journalist’s breakfast was paid for.
n0exit said:
… if a non-maori member of parliment, lets just say Phil Goff for example, said “These m*****f****** maoris have been raping the taxpayer for too long”
They wouldn’t have the defence of truth. And there’s a difference between “these mofoing whites” and “white mofos”.
@Sean, I’m pretty sure Hide’s comments were after the speech to a table of what he though were “friends of the Party”…
Not my understanding Jabba, according to the article I read, the journalist approached Hide after the speach and asked if he could expand on his earlier comments.
Mr Hide declined to expand, leaving only the comments already made.
@Pascal “they wouldn’t have the defence of the truth”? Really do you really belive that? I am sure that a comment like the example I made is a comment more people could find the truth in than what Hone said. I’m not saying it’s the truth but you could eaisly spin it in your favour. Hone doesn’t exactly have the truth on his side aswell. The issue is slightly more complex than white people ripped of maori espcially after all that has been done to fix the intial mistakes…
But lets not make this a history lesson… This is about attitude. Justifying his trip like this just shows the sort of attitude he has. The high rate of crimes commited by maori and the low rate of qualifications attained are not a result of land confiscations and the foreshore and seabed. Why doesn’t the maori party try to sort that out first? Hone’s “holier than thou” attitude doesn’t help anyone INCLUDING maori!!
@noexit – just as I was about to let this drop in comes the ‘high rate of crimes… etc’ argument – I wondered how long it would take for someone to make a trite comment such as this. I am sure you will understand that its a little bit more complex than a blanket statement.
As for why the Maori party don’t try to sort it out? Well, my understanding is that Tariana has worked hard to do just this, with what seemed to me a sound plan of reinvesting the money currently spent on this ‘kind’ of thing but could not get the traction from the Nats that she needs – I could be corrected on this, but I have not heard otherwise. This argument gets trotted out on a regular basis to try and side swipe the wider issues.
@Brendon – thanks for that link to the dom. It shed some good light on this situation. I think his voters wont want him to leave – but it must be hard watching all that he believes in go up in political smoke each time the Maori party have to conceed something in order to stay in bed with the nats – I have been uncomfortable about the three bed fellows for sometime – and I do not think the Maori party are best aligned to the Nats – they will continue to be pooped on by them, because I do not think, no matter how much the PM smiles at them, that they are treated respectfully or with any great seriousness.
Incidentally, having now read the whole email, I feel even more for Hone – I agree with him when he states he works hard for Maoridom – it is most unfortunate his use of language and I do not condone it at all – but looking at the wider picture, Maori get squashed all the time – institutional racisim is rife in this country (for many peoples, but specially for Maori) – and he wants to do what is best for Maori, and I salute him for it. They way he articulated it is terrible, but as I have said before, his voters and his party leadership will deal with that in the way that best reflects tikanga and I doubt he will come out of this unscathed. His tirade in his email was blunt and crass – but no different, imo, to the softer, but lengthy bashing Brash gave in his Orewa speech (which I have just re read). Remember that the Maori party are in bed with the Nats and while Brash is no longer the front man – the Nats run on the same kind of mandate that Brash spoke of – so it must be pretty hard to be faced with that each day in parliment, knowing you have to cuddle up to them each night. Esp when the policies and cut backs all effect those Hone stands up for.
Labout should be highlighting the difficulties National is having to the left and right with coalition partners.
It illustrates the weakness of National leadership, as well as the inherent stupidity of an ACT Party and a Maori Party.
By contrast, Labour was supported by reliable Jim Anderton, and some VERY good people in NZ First. Winston was the exception in the NZ First team.
Labour has struck a moment of opportunity but will it be grasped other than on a blog site like this one?