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Harawira leader bid could affect Govt deal

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Harawira bid could affect Govt deal

3News NZ

Hone Harawira

Hone Harawira

By Laura McQuillan

The Government's support deal with the Maori Party could be off if Mana leader Hone Harawira is successful in his bid to take over his former party.

Mr Harawira formed Mana after leaving the Maori Party in early 2011 amid a dispute with its leaders over their support for the Government's Marine and Coastal Bill, and he and Prime Minister John Key have repeatedly said they won't work together.

Now Mr Harawira wants to bring Mana and the Maori Party back together and is hinting he might challenge for the Maori Party leadership.

"I've been asked by various kaumatua and kuia to come back because of the divisions within the leadership and the fact that the Maori Party seems to be dying," Mr Harawira said on Wednesday.

His return to the Maori Party could pose an issue for its supply and confidence deal with the Government, which gives it two ministerial roles.

Prime Minister John Key is sticking to his guns over the renegade MP, saying: "I think Hone Harawira has made his position regarding the National Party very clear, and it's mutual. There's no love lost there."

He added that he does not expect a leadership change in the Maori Party before the 2014 election.

"Let's just see how all of these things play out. There's a lot of water to flow under that waka."

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples - who is resisting a push for him to retire in 2014 - says he wants to stay Maori Affairs Minister, regardless of whether he's leader, and Mr Key says that could be a possibility.

"While I decide who is a minister, I also take strong guidance from the leadership of the partner parties," he said.

"If there was a change in the leadership, they may well have a view on the make-up of the ministerial warrants and who should have them."

The Maori Party's other MP, Te Ururoa Flavell, is also making a bid for the leadership, while former Maori Party MP Rahui Katene is understood to be eyeing a leadership role and may stand in co-leader Tariana Turia's Te Tai Hauauru seat when she retires in 2014.

NZN

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Comments

14/05/2013 12:01:35 p.m.

Kahu wrote:

Ae Kotahitanga ano e nga tangata maori! Join Mana and Maori Party, bring back our Kuia and Kaumatua, so they can give sound, wise counsel as to the raruraru going on. They should be counsel not some back bench consultant team. Our Kuia and Kaumatua are the experts at dealing with relationship and communication barriers. Let our current leaders, step back from the podium and make way for our young, vibrant future - leaders, and take the lead. Practise the ways of our tupuna, ie Tuakana-Teina. With our older and our younger working side by side, guided by our Kaumatua, this country is heading towards a massive restorative shift in its identity and integrity. Aotearoa our beautiful country! Mauri Ora.

24/01/2013 10:46:11 a.m.

@Sanbe wrote:

Hone has more integrity in his little finger than the whole National Party put together. He will always go out of his way to help someone in trouble, not like the stuck-up Epsom National types like you who just point the finger and turn up your noses. Go Hone.

24/01/2013 10:09:45 a.m.

Kathy wrote:

@Sanbe, lets face the truth, so are you.

24/01/2013 9:59:38 a.m.

Jonny Boy wrote:

I like Hone he reminds me of Muldoon, I've called him racist Maori one and he responded that I was signifying that my use of word racism showed my ignorance. He said that "Because I had all the connections with Globalist Bankers, Crony Capitalists, Had the Judges in my pocket, Paid off the media that I should call him Sir, because HE KNEW my agenda of Slippery Slimey BS and guess what the its dawning on ALL New Zelanders, By golly he was right!, So I thought it he only wants to called SIR, I can arrange that!. Sweet.

24/01/2013 8:54:42 a.m.

nzer wrote:

Go Hone, and kick JK where it hurts, in parliament. The rot has to stop.

24/01/2013 8:48:46 a.m.

SANBE wrote:

This will be the death of the Maori party. Hone is a racist and has proven over and over that he cannot work with others. It is his way or no way! We do not need his type in government.