Harawira hui ends without decision

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira speaks to the media after meeting with fellow MP Te Ururoa Flavell at Rotorua's Taheke Marae. Photo / NZPA

Hone Harawira and Te Ururoa Flavell have made a joint statement outside of the Taheka Marae, near Rotorua, this evening, at the end of a hui to discuss a complaint made against Mr Harawira.

The pair met today for the first time since Mr Flavell laid the complaint, in which he objected to Mr Harawira's criticism in a newspaper article of the Maori Party's support for the Government and policies he said were anti-Maori.

This evening Mr Flavell said today had been a good one.

"We found a nice space on the side of Lake Rotoiti and chucked the issue [around].

"Some things we have commonalities about, other things we still remain divided about," he said.

"But that's cool because our history goes back a long way, some 40 years.

"So we're pleased to carry on and keep the korero going until such time as such things take over, whatever that be."

Mr Harawira did not indicate a time of when the issue would be settled but asked Maori Party President Pem Bird to set aside the disciplinary process.

The national council is due to meet February 9, next Wednesday, to discuss the matter further.

Today's meeting of the Maori Party disciplinary and disputes committee became necessary after a hui in Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate last week failed to resolve the complaint against him.

Before today's meeting began, Mr Harawira said he didn't want to leave the party.

"In my heat of hearts I am a member of the Maori Party chosen by the people of Te Tai Tokerau to represent our interests, and until such time that Te Tai Tokerau changes their mind, I will continue to represent their interests," Mr Harawira said.

He said he could absolutely work with Mr Flavell again, however, when asked if that meant he would have to "suck up" certain things he didn't like, Mr Harawira said "it depends what suck it up means".

But there was hardly ringing endorsement from Mr Flavell.

Just before he went on to the marae separately, Mr Flavell was asked if he wanted Mr Harawira to stay with the party. "That's not an issue for me to discuss," he said. "That's in the hands of the committee. I'm hopeful that there might be a positive outcome one way or another."

Pushed again to say whether he could continue to work with Mr Harawira, Mr Flavell said: "At this point in time, who knows. The decision has still to come from the national council. Once the decision has been made, we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Mr Harawira was met by a small group of Te Arawa supporters at the marae today, including Maori activist and lawyer Annette Sykes, who held placards with slogans such as "Hone in, Mubarak out".