The battling public servant

By JON STOKES

The man at the centre of a political furore over civil war comments in a submission on foreshore and seabed legislation is no stranger to controversy.

Haami Piripi learned on Thursday that he had kept his job as chief executive of the Maori Language Commission following a week of speculation he could be sacked.

It followed reports he had breached his apolitical stance as a senior Government department manager through his submission to a select committee saying the country risked civil war because of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

The action prompted calls from opposition MPs for an apology and his resignation.

He was instead censured by the commission.

Although Mr Piripi, who is a treaty claims negotiator for Far North iwi, Te Rarawa, declined to talk to the Weekend Herald, those who know him say he has come under just as heated criticism from some Northland Maori.

Fisheries Commission head Shane Jones said Mr Piripi came in for a lot of flak for his support for Northland's Ngawha prison.

He was employed by the Corrections Department for almost four years from 1995 and was an author of Principles For Crown Action, an initiative targeted at dealing with Maori criminal offending.

The father of six led an at times acrimonious consultation round that laid the groundwork for the creation of Ngawha prison, set to open next year.

Mr Piripi was a founding member of Maori activist group Kawariki, which included Mr Jones and veteran Maori activist Hone Harawira.

Mr Harawira says he first met Mr Piripi in 1991, when they were arrested for disrupting the investiture of Sir Graham Latimer and the late Dame Whina Cooper.

Mr Harawira described him as well respected in the North.

Born in 1957, Mr Piripi was raised by a great-uncle and aunt in Ahipara, in Northland.

Northland's Ngati Kahu runanga chairwoman Margaret Mutu said he was one of a number of young people, including Mr Jones and Mr Harawira identified as future leaders of Northland tribes.

"He received thorough training in the tikanga of the North from prominent kaumatua Reverend Maori Marsden,"

Mrs Mutu said that although Mr Piripi left for Wellington at an early age he has always maintained strong connection with his people.

Mr Jones said he was surprised by the inflammatory language used by Mr Piripi in his submission. "He is the type of guy who never wants to be caught out doing something bad."

HAAMI PIRIPI

* Born in 1957.

* Educated at Ahipara primary, Kaitaia Intermediate, Kaitaia College.

* Married to Wellington Hospital medical researcher Dr Paparangi Reid.

* 1975: Begins an almost 30-year career as a public servant, including work in the Office of Treaty Settlements, Te Puni Kokiri and the Corrections Department.

* 1999-present: Chief executive Maori Language Commission.