By Patrick Gower and Dylan Moran
Independent MP Hone Harawira has announced he is going to force a by-election by resigning from Parliament.
He will fly to Parliament on Tuesday and announce his decision to quit Parliament - forcing a by-election in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate.
The by-election is expected to cost $500,000. Under Electoral Commission rules, a by-election cannot occur with less than six months until an election, but Harawira's announcement will come just one month ahead of that deadline.
Mr Harawira appeared on The Nation this morning, where he was asked about the possibility of forcing a by-election before this year's general election.
"Yes I understand that the Maori Party is playing up that story. Look that hasn’t been on our agenda at all, although we discount no possibilities in the run up to the election in November," he told The Nation.
Mr Harawira has been more open about launching his new political party, Mana, which he discussed on the show with Duncan Garner this morning.
The resignation is not the end of Mr Harawira's political career, as he will run under the Mana Party barrier at this year's election. At the party's launch today, he clarified the resignation is about holding politicians accountable - one of the core values of the Mana Party.
Click 'View Video' to see Hone Harawira's appearance on The Nation.
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