3News » Home
Full Story

No punishment for Harawira over second fiery email

10 comments | Post Comment Email Print Text Size:
aA
aA
aA
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 9:39a.m.
The Maori Party is not going to take any action against MP Hone Harawira, after another example of his creative email writing was revealed.
 
This time it was sent to the Maori Development Agency, Te Puni Kokiri.
 
Maori Party President Whatarangi Winiata told Radio LIVE this morning Mr Harawira is in good hands while taking his enforced break from Parliament - and there is no need to punish him.
 
"I'm heartened by the guidence of the kaumatua of tai tokerau who expressed their displeasure with that kind of language. I think Hone will be guided by them," he says.
 
Professor Winiata is pleased the party has been able to deal with Mr Harawira and keep him in the party.
 
It is understood Hone was upset about changes that had been made to a brochure he designed about Maori flags, and let six TPK officials know of his displeasure in no uncertain terms.

"I'm bloody disappointed that I put so much effort into it, only to find out that everything has been changed at the last minute and without my approval," he said in the July 10 email.

"I am particularly f....n' pissed off that some clown has decided to rebrand the `Maori' flag as the `Tino Rangatiratanga' flag."

Mr Harawira demanded that the brochure be stopped pending a conference call to sort things out.

"Otherwise I will publicly expose this as a sham on Monday morning...no shit folks, either this gets sorted out, and quickly, or I go apeshit on Monday."

The full text of the email is in hundreds of pages of documents released to NZPA under the Official Information Act covering the consultation process to decide with Maori flag to fly on Waitangi Day.

The email raised complaints among TPK staff and then came to the attention of Helen Leahy, a senior official in the Maori Party's parliamentary office.

She emailed party co-leader and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples.

"The six TPK staff should not be expected to receive emails littered with swear words and ultimatums," she said, and attached a copy of Mr Harawira's email after she had altered the expletives so it would get through Parliament's filter.

There is no record of Dr Sharples having done anything about it, but Mr Harawira subsequently apologised to the officials during a conference call.

And, when the consultation process was over, he sent a message to everyone involved: "Congratulations to everyone for a job well done, and thanks for not freakin' out when I nut out. Let's do it again sometime soon."

After Mr Harawira sent the email about the brochure, he was in trouble for skipping off to Paris while on a parliamentary visit to Europe.

In defence of his unauthorised trip, he sent an email referring to "white motherf....rs" which caused a national outrage.

Party leaders at first asked him to leave and become an independent, but they relented when Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate said he should stay.

He was told to take leave until Parliament resumes next year.

The documents released today show the brochure issue was sorted out, and there was a robust consultation process around deciding which Maori flag should be flown.

It ended with advice to Prime Minister John Key that more than 80 percent of those consulted had chosen the Tino Rangatiratanga flag, which will be flown on Auckland Harbour Bridge, Parliament, Premier House and on government buildings on Waitangi Day.

A series of 21 hui were held between July and August and the documents show the total cost was $91,625.

NZPA
 
Radio LIVE

Comments [10]

Kelly
29 Dec 2009 1:08p.m.

I'm a immigrant as are all Kiwis, my anchesters founded Herbetville. But we don't claim specail treatment. There's been millions of cash payouts alone to Iwi, probably enough to give every Moari descendantS a deposit on a house but 'NO' the greedy get it all. If the Moari want a seperate NATION why don't they pay for THEMSELVES! There's Maori orientated schools, ko hanga Reos etc which should be PAID out of their own Treaty Settlements. The Governments of past have secured Moari treaty businesses for years that now make millions, why isn't this excess treaty settlement used to build their own world?

Lawyers must get dizzy justifying this defunct contract. Iwi shouldn't be aloud to play JESUS CHRIST with treaty settlements. The TREATY needs to be expediantly over. The QUEENS chain was to protect ALL KIWI'S equally not to go on forever.

Understanding how democracy works will HEAL and suit ALL KIWI'S. To make all electrates democratic would mean to change the population per electrate to 31,000+. This would drop or force a merge of electrate boundries of several small populace electrates. Meaning two or three Moari constitutional electrates will go and Two or Three Queens chain electrates will go. THEN NZers can put forward their submissions to replace these Two constitutions with ONE TREATY to SERVE ALL.

Diana
28 Dec 2009 12:45a.m.

Hone's not Maori! He's Chinese! Check out the thin lips and squinty eyes! It's all in how one looks, not how they act. 1-nil to the Maori Party!!!

Richard
27 Dec 2009 3:58p.m.

kinda makes you wonder if the maori party is letting him say and do thier dirty work, then make it seem if they cant do anything to stop him,..cheeky darkies eh..

Leigh
27 Dec 2009 7:28a.m.

Hone is selfish and thinking only of what he and his friends WANT, I thought N.Z. was against racist followers.

Jan..
26 Dec 2009 10:26p.m.

Make your minds up folks Maori flag will be representing the Maori name to all nations around the world..
I would called myself Maori or a New Zealand kiwi and not Tino Rangatiratanga..
You might as well called New Zealand Tino Rangatiranga flag and bare it in mind folks that this is Hone's true country..

Teawa
26 Dec 2009 10:07a.m.

Hone's a Jerk. Just being the typical token Maori in a token Maori party. The national government will have the last laugh, as per the history of national-maori 'relationships' in this country.

Ty Williams
24 Dec 2009 9:26p.m.

Ha ha bill... tooooooo late.

Bill
24 Dec 2009 12:52p.m.

Send this racist pig to Stewart Island. He can spout all he likes from down there and will not be heard. As for the 80% of those consulted over the racist flag, 80% of 891 consulted, is that all thats left of Maori in this land. What a complete joke Key has turned out to be.

cyril
24 Dec 2009 12:01p.m.

Hone you suck. You are doing more harm to Moari than good. RESIGN.

Steve
24 Dec 2009 10:54a.m.

"He was told to take leave until Parliament resumes next year." he should do us all a favour and NOT return. Period.

Post a comment

Name:
Email: (Won't be published)
Comment:


3News Video 3News Audio

Post your opinion

3News - Steven Joyce
Comments (8)

How do you rate Steven Joyce?

John Key clearly rates his Transport Minister Steven Joyce - but how well do you think he has performed since National came to power....