Harawira apology would be 'hypocritical' - Samuels

Hone Harawira. Photo / Simon Baker

An apology from Maori Party MP Hone Harawira over the inflammatory words he used in an email and his visit to Paris would be hypocritical,
former Labour MP Dover Samuels has said.

Prime Minister John Key and Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres today told morning radio and TV shows they believed Mr Harawira should apologise.

The Maori Party is also expected to ask its MP to apologise. Mr Harawira is also unlikely to be given any more official international travel assignments by his party this parliamentary term.

But Dover Samuels - who previously held Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau seat - said the party should instead elect Mr Harawira leader.

"Any apology from Hone would be absolute hypocrisy, he's advocating what he really believes in, he's done that for many, many years before going into Parliament," Mr Samuels told Radio New Zealand.

"Any apology that he would make would be artificial, superficial and he actually doesn't believe it."

Mr Harawira "absolutely" believed in what he said about white people, Mr Samuels said.

"A lot of the people that are sitting with him in the Parliament believe the same thing."

He said the Maori Party had separatist policies and should elect Mr Harawira leader and be honest about their views.

"At least...he's got up and had the guts to actually say what he feels inside."

John Key this morning said he thought an apology was needed.

"I definitely think he owes a bit of an apology," he told TVNZ.

"It's for the Maori Party leadership to sort that out, and I have got to say they are doing their best to try and deal with that situation."

On the broadcaster's Q+A programme yesterday Mr Key said that Mr Harawira's email comments were offensive, and he believed there was "a tinge" of racism in them.

He said Mr Harawira had always been a "shock-jock MP".

"He says things which are sometimes completely outrageous. People generally speaking don't mind that, except when they sort of cross the line, and this one - it got over the line."

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres has ruled out investigating the email, saying Mr Harawira was exercising his freedom of opinion.