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Titewhai Harawira calls Sharples a 'gutless dog'

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Sun, 13 Feb 2011 9:42a.m.

Titewhai Harawira (NZPA file)

Titewhai Harawira (NZPA file)

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is a "gutless dog" and "spineless", the mother of one of his MPs says.

Hone Harawira has been suspended from the Maori Party caucus, with co-leaders Dr Sharples and Tariana Turia saying they have no confidence in him.

Mr Harawira has continually criticised his party's coalition with the National Party, and the Marine and Coastal Area Bill, which replaces the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

His mother, activist and New Zealand Maori Council executive member Titewhai Harawira, has added fuel to the fire with her comments on Dr Sharples, and by warning there will be a hikoi from Northland to Parliament to protest the party's support for the bill.

"Pita Sharples is having a big cry baby... who the hell does he think he is? He is a gutless dog... gutless, spineless, that is what he is," Mrs Harawira, who last weekend walked on to the marae at Waitangi hand in hand with Prime Minister John Key, told Sunday News.

"He had time to go around and try and lobby some key people in Nga Puhi to find the replacement for Hone. What sort of spineless, gutless [person] is this?"

Mrs Turia was not spared, with Mrs Harawira accusing her of using the 2004 hikoi to protest the Foreshore and Seabed Act for publicity, and joining it only when she thought it would make her look good.

"She only walked [in the 2004 hikoi] when we got down to Parliament," she told the newspaper.

"She was not part of any support for us, she was embarrassed."

The proposed hikoi, being arranged by the Maori Council, could happen within a month, Mrs Harawira said.

"The New Zealand Maori Council is calling on the Maori Party to vote against [the Marine and Coastal Bill]. And if not, we are going to call for a hikoi against the Maori Party," she said.

"The Maori Party leadership is making decisions that are totally contrary to the things that are a benefit to Maori."

Mr Harawira has spent the past two days visiting the different offices in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate.

NZPA

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Comments

02 Jun 2011 05:29p.m.

charles Pearce wrote:

this is why I will vote Don Brash, that is all

02 Jun 2011 04:33p.m.

Mouthguard wrote:

Well said, Generally. It disappoints you Baker that Maori are fighting with Maori? What else is new? You speak as though this is a recent issue, a post-European problem. "We may never get our country back" is a quote that speaks volumes about you. It isn't yours mate, it is ours. Cut the racist crap eh?

02 Jun 2011 11:57a.m.

Generally wrote:

Baker, you are just another racist Maori that thinks you are special. You talk about being outnumbered 30 to 1 by 'foreigners'. Clearly you include people born here in that decidedly dubious statistic. I was born here, with at least 5 generations back on both sides. I don't identify exclusively with the small percentage of Maori that I have, as you clearly do. I am just as much a kiwi as you will ever be. You should take a look at yourself, denying the other parts of who you are to hide behind a convenient and likely inaccurate label of 'Maori'. Or do you make a living from that title? Even if we only look at your ancestors that are in fact Maori, they are immigrants here to. You need to get over your chip on your shoulder and get on with life as a New Zealander. You are no more special than anyone else, but unfortunately you are a great deal more racist than average, seeing only 'us and them', while denying who you really are. Pathetic.

02 Jun 2011 10:11a.m.

Baker wrote:

The thing that dissapoints me the most is the fact that Maori are fighting with Maori.

Foreigners out number Maori 30 to 1 in our own country and the fact that even if all Maori in NZ voted for the same party and the same person, we still wouldn't have enough numbers to put one of our own people into power.

Having said that, these arguments and fights between our own people are causing us to divide our support both in general and at voting time and you know who wins in the end? The foreigners do because unlike Maori they unite as one and support there people. In a Democratic country, majority wins and the faster Maori learn that and unite together the better. We may never get our country back entirely, but we could at least stand together and fight side by side for our rights in Aotearoa

21 Feb 2011 07:55p.m.

Wills wrote:

If Dame Whina Cooper was alive she'd kick her ass LOL

17 Feb 2011 06:12p.m.

Steve wrote:

What a fucking useless bitch! I think you have well passed your use by date and maybe its time to keel over and die. You and your entire family are an embarracement and should crawl back under the rock you came from. Sick of the government shoving endless millions of the dollars up the cunts of useless radical, uneducation, morons like this family!

14 Feb 2011 12:29a.m.

melinda wrote:

i got nothing against any of these people but this im sure great lady must be able to let some light in to her heart and forgive and move on , on this latest issue her son is right . if you dont forgive it eats you up not those you hate . and one day when we cross that river younder we just may requrie a whole lot of forgiveness our selves .no body doubts maori were treated shamefully and ripped off . but at some point their has to be some forgiveness other wise healing is impossible .the otherside of the coin is my race lests be honest we well do any thing for a buck and some land , we did even worse in america and australia and many places . i will admit we got to climb of our high horse and look at history be fore we judge others . our race are the biggest renegades on earth just trace history , so we are in no state to judge others . there has to be forgiveness other wise one day we will be back to civil war in this country .

13 Feb 2011 08:49p.m.

Piripi wrote:

Titewhai, i was embarrased and ashamed at your words. You are from my tribe- and your actions and behaviour are exactly what the media feeds on. There is a better way. If Dame Whina Cooper was still alive she would be saddened to see how you have acted. I hope you will put things right

13 Feb 2011 07:38p.m.

Roxanne wrote:

Get rid of MMP, Hone is likely to get in again as an independant and drag 5 others in with him. Enough! Dump MMP, no more "king makers"

13 Feb 2011 06:49p.m.

M3N78L wrote:

Back to the loch with ye nessie.