By Rebecca Wright
On his second day back in Parliament, Hone Harawira has stumbled into the middle of another mess.
The Maori Party MP has put up a private member’s bill which breaks his party’s coalition agreement with National.
The bill seeks to have Maori seats entrenched forever – something the parties agreed to put on hold until 2014.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says she is surprised at Mr Harawira’s actions.
“I’d need to see exactly what he has put into the bills box – I haven’t seen it,” she says.
When asked what he knew of Mr Harawira’s bill, Prime Minister John Key said he wasn’t aware of it, and hadn’t considered it.
The bill raises questions around whether the confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party has been broken.
“I’d have to go away and have a specific look at the confidence and supply agreement,” Mr Key says.
The confidence and supply agreement between the National Party and the Maori Party states that “the Maori Party will not be pursuing the entrenchment of Maori Seats in the current Parliamentary term”.
Mr Harawira says it was an honest mistake.
“It’s something I’m glad didn’t get chosen. It was a bill we had ready but… we have an agreement with National. It won’t be going back into the ballot box next week,” he says.
The last thing Mr Harawira needed was a stumble to start the Parliamentary year, especially after being sent home for an early shower over his bad behaviour in December, but it appears he wasn’t the only MP having first week stumbles.
Mr Harawira’s colleague, Rahui Katene, suggested the Maori Party could collapse the Government if compensation for GST increases is not good enough.
She says if she doesn’t get what she wants, “one option” is to walk away from the Government.
“We’ll look at all options,” she says.
3 News