So Hone Harawira took time off from a conference to tour Paris with his wife Hilda, so what? If Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith deems it necessary that the Tai Tokerau MP pay back some of the money given to him for the trip to the EU conference then Hone will pay it back, no problem. Does Hone Harawira need to apologise for bunking off to Paris, no. Why not? Because in the bigger scheme of things it’s not a big deal.
Does Hone Harawira need to apologise to Buddy Mikaere for the offensive email, yes I think he does. Does Hone need to apologise to anyone else for the contents of that email, no he doesn’t. The email was an exchange between him and Maori Party supporter Buddy Mikaere. If the latter deemed it necessary to hand the missive to a third party then that’s his prerogative. But the diatribe was directed at the tribal leader no one else. Should an MP of any ethnicity have written such an email, probably not.
The thing about Hone Harawira is that what you see and hear is what you get. Hone was born into activism, grew to become an activist and has matured into a veteran activist. He has dedicated his life to his people, to championing Maori issues, addressing Maori concerns and fighting what he and many others including his Maori Party colleagues consider injustices against tangatawhenua. For all his efforts the people of Te Tai Tokerau have rewarded him with their support not once but twice and two terms in parliament.
For his deeds, some would call Harawira, militant. Certainly others would call him revolutionary, you’ll even hear many of his supporters call him hero. What Harawira is, is fearless. He represents a certain breed of Maori, dedicated and focussed, passionate to the point of being articulately aggressive in his determination to promote the Maori cause. What the former St Stephen’s Maori Boy’s School pupil who grew up in Avondale Auckland is; is no hypocrite.
It is this staunchness that makes him a perfect Maori Party MP. But how staunch is the Party? Co-Leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples have a tough job on their hands, not with Harawira but with trying to balance the pressures of being in a coalition partnership with the Government. There is no doubt that Turia and Sharples would never have written or uttered the words that appeared on the Mikaere missive, the pair come from a more genteel, generous generation. But nor do they censure the passionate discourse of their people, Harawira included. So how do they appease their centre-right partners while not appearing to compromise to the point of ‘selling out’.
The Party is preparing for a disciplinary hui with the Tai Tokerau MP, no doubt there will be representatives from the wider Maori community who will insist on speaking in support of Harawira and the Party. I doubt anyone at that hui will call for his sacking and nor will Harawira resign, that would be political suicide for the Maori Party. Vacating the seat will result in a bi-election and neither the Maori Party nor Harawira will allow that to happen. As for jumping waka, that won't happen. Harawira is Maori, not a Green Party, Blue or Red Maori - just Maori.
The Maori Party and Harawira will hui, korero and discuss flax-roots kaupapa. They will remember why the Party was established and what they campaigned on. They will discuss what is of value to them and whether or not they have stayed true and loyal to the original kaupapa. They will discuss whether they have drifted off course in order to effect change as a coalition partner.
Hone Harawira is a constant reminder to the Party of their roots and sometimes it’s an uncomfortable reminder.
Showing posts with label hone harawira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hone harawira. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
ACTIVISTS THRIVE ON THREATS
What kinds of people send death threats to Members of Parliament? What kinds of people send death threats to anyone? Is it sheer madness of mind that these people not realise that what they do is wrong? Or is it mischief making, that they know full well what they do is wrong but the anonymous notoriety gives them some sick thrill and misdirected courage? Why is it that threats like these are always anonymous?
Pillory comes with the territory for those who put themselves in the public arena. These public figures be they, celebrities, politicians or activists are targets with neon lights flashing wildly ‘hit me, kick me, whack me, spit at me.’
Activists like Sue Bradford have always been vilified. She has championed that side of society the conservative sector wishes were invisible, her work with the poor and the Unemployed Workers Union in the 70’s,80’s and 90’s, had her beaten, bashed and thrown in jail. Now her work championing the rights of children has again highlighted the rocky road Sue and her whanau travel, in the pursuit of justice. Abuse and threats aren’t just levelled at the individual they also impact on the person’s whanau and when there are children the affects can be catastrophic and long lasting. Hone Harawira’s children took numerous calls from anonymous voices threatening to ‘blow-your-Fathers- head-off’ and ‘bomb your house’. John Minto’s sons got the same messages.
It doesn’t matter whether you believe, understand or even like her politics, Sue and people like her don’t deserve threats of any kind. Of course centre-right politicians have their fair share of intimidation, bullying and terrorising. I Produced a documentary series some years ago for TVNZ called ‘Politician’s Wife’. Mary English, wife of Finance Minister Bill who was at the time of filming the Prime Minister recalled the time she received a bullet in the letter box. While Lady Thea Muldoon said all private household mail was re-directed by the Diplomatic Squad because of the overwhelming amount of threats they were receiving.
My colleagues and I received threats on a weekly basis for almost seven years. I worked for TVNZ and our programme Marae screened live on Sunday mornings. Each Monday we’d arrive at TVNZ and to the phone logs (this was in the ‘olden-days’ before text, emails, twitter, Facebook BEBO etc). Without fail there would be at least a dozen viewer calls abusing Maori. We were barraged with ‘the only good Maori is a dead Maori’, ‘get those niggers off my screen’, ‘tell me when their next hui is and I’ll drop a bomb on them – get rid of them in one hit.’ Some of these threats were laughable, some shocked us, but rather than cower, tremble and shy away, they had the reverse effect. We became bolder, stronger and more unified and determined in our drive to become more visible to give Maori more opportunities to voice issues their way on their terms.
If those that threatened Sue Bradford think she’ll cower, tremble and shy away – they can’t be more wrong. Sue is an activist,a fighter. What the threats did was validate her, authenticate her cause and probably swing previous fence sitters into her camp.
Pillory comes with the territory for those who put themselves in the public arena. These public figures be they, celebrities, politicians or activists are targets with neon lights flashing wildly ‘hit me, kick me, whack me, spit at me.’
Activists like Sue Bradford have always been vilified. She has championed that side of society the conservative sector wishes were invisible, her work with the poor and the Unemployed Workers Union in the 70’s,80’s and 90’s, had her beaten, bashed and thrown in jail. Now her work championing the rights of children has again highlighted the rocky road Sue and her whanau travel, in the pursuit of justice. Abuse and threats aren’t just levelled at the individual they also impact on the person’s whanau and when there are children the affects can be catastrophic and long lasting. Hone Harawira’s children took numerous calls from anonymous voices threatening to ‘blow-your-Fathers- head-off’ and ‘bomb your house’. John Minto’s sons got the same messages.
It doesn’t matter whether you believe, understand or even like her politics, Sue and people like her don’t deserve threats of any kind. Of course centre-right politicians have their fair share of intimidation, bullying and terrorising. I Produced a documentary series some years ago for TVNZ called ‘Politician’s Wife’. Mary English, wife of Finance Minister Bill who was at the time of filming the Prime Minister recalled the time she received a bullet in the letter box. While Lady Thea Muldoon said all private household mail was re-directed by the Diplomatic Squad because of the overwhelming amount of threats they were receiving.
My colleagues and I received threats on a weekly basis for almost seven years. I worked for TVNZ and our programme Marae screened live on Sunday mornings. Each Monday we’d arrive at TVNZ and to the phone logs (this was in the ‘olden-days’ before text, emails, twitter, Facebook BEBO etc). Without fail there would be at least a dozen viewer calls abusing Maori. We were barraged with ‘the only good Maori is a dead Maori’, ‘get those niggers off my screen’, ‘tell me when their next hui is and I’ll drop a bomb on them – get rid of them in one hit.’ Some of these threats were laughable, some shocked us, but rather than cower, tremble and shy away, they had the reverse effect. We became bolder, stronger and more unified and determined in our drive to become more visible to give Maori more opportunities to voice issues their way on their terms.
If those that threatened Sue Bradford think she’ll cower, tremble and shy away – they can’t be more wrong. Sue is an activist,a fighter. What the threats did was validate her, authenticate her cause and probably swing previous fence sitters into her camp.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
AUCKLAND SUPERSEATS IT'S NOT OVER
Is John Key turning into a tekoteko for his conservative ruling class bourgeoisie party, a tonotono for the monied far right, a toothless tiger, a leader without power? Is he nothing more than a puppet?
Could be!
Maori had great hopes for John Key. He wasn’t seen as the saint that would deliver Maori and middle New Zealand from all evil, but he was the ‘change’ the nation was looking for.
John Key the working class boy raised by his solo Mum in Christchurch to become a multi-millionaire, did the phoenix and pulled his party out of the depth of fiery political hell at last year’s election. How did he do it? He did an Obama and called for change. He did what no other National Party had done previously and offered an arm of support to Maori via the Maori Party. He talked about nationhood, "The Treaty envisages all New Zealanders moving forward together, with a shared commitment to the future. I share that vision. National is committed to seeing all Maori enjoying a brighter and more prosperous future." he said.
It appeared as though he was genuine about his rhetoric. He backed it up by giving the Maori Affairs portfolio to Pita Sharples bypassing long term National loyalist Georgina Te Heuheu. He even established a three-person Ministerial panel to consider the state of the law around Maori customary interests in the foreshore and seabed. GOSH! John Key even said yes to a Maori flag on the Auckland harbour bridge and agreed to have hui around the motu to decide on which one.
So you gotta ask…were these ‘acts-of-good-will’ no more than diversions, did National pre-occupy the Maori Party with other pressing issues to divert attention away from Auckland Supercity?
Did he get Hone Harawira out on the flag hui circuit so Rod-the Hide could get a free play of the Auckland sand pit?
Could have!
That’s not to minimise the importance of the work of the Ministerial panel on the seabed foreshore or the hui on flags. It’s just that each time Maori make forward strides there’s a price to pay.
So the questions need to be asked; what was the price for the portfolio, the panel and the hui? Why did he do a flip flop on the Maori Supercity seats? How genuine is the Prime Minister?
When John Key justified his Supercity argument with “We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country”
What he really means is, “…in 2014, National will begin a constitutional process to abolish the Maori seats” That's what he said in September 2008. Either he or the National Cabinet remembered that Maori seats in Auckland goes against the National Government’s long term objectives.
No matter what korero or conversation he’s had with the Maori Party subsequent to September 2008, regarding seats of any kind, the current situation in Auckland is a reminder to iwi to be vigilant.
But if Rod-the-Hide and Cabinet think it’s over it’s not.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has called for a conscience vote over separate Maori seats and encouraged supportive National Party members to cross the floor. In the community Ngati Whatua is considering a second hikoi, and Tainui say they will boycott any weaker, sub-committee, statutory board, advisory commission no-teeth alternative role on offer.
Could be!
Maori had great hopes for John Key. He wasn’t seen as the saint that would deliver Maori and middle New Zealand from all evil, but he was the ‘change’ the nation was looking for.
John Key the working class boy raised by his solo Mum in Christchurch to become a multi-millionaire, did the phoenix and pulled his party out of the depth of fiery political hell at last year’s election. How did he do it? He did an Obama and called for change. He did what no other National Party had done previously and offered an arm of support to Maori via the Maori Party. He talked about nationhood, "The Treaty envisages all New Zealanders moving forward together, with a shared commitment to the future. I share that vision. National is committed to seeing all Maori enjoying a brighter and more prosperous future." he said.
It appeared as though he was genuine about his rhetoric. He backed it up by giving the Maori Affairs portfolio to Pita Sharples bypassing long term National loyalist Georgina Te Heuheu. He even established a three-person Ministerial panel to consider the state of the law around Maori customary interests in the foreshore and seabed. GOSH! John Key even said yes to a Maori flag on the Auckland harbour bridge and agreed to have hui around the motu to decide on which one.
So you gotta ask…were these ‘acts-of-good-will’ no more than diversions, did National pre-occupy the Maori Party with other pressing issues to divert attention away from Auckland Supercity?
Did he get Hone Harawira out on the flag hui circuit so Rod-the Hide could get a free play of the Auckland sand pit?
Could have!
That’s not to minimise the importance of the work of the Ministerial panel on the seabed foreshore or the hui on flags. It’s just that each time Maori make forward strides there’s a price to pay.
So the questions need to be asked; what was the price for the portfolio, the panel and the hui? Why did he do a flip flop on the Maori Supercity seats? How genuine is the Prime Minister?
When John Key justified his Supercity argument with “We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country”
What he really means is, “…in 2014, National will begin a constitutional process to abolish the Maori seats” That's what he said in September 2008. Either he or the National Cabinet remembered that Maori seats in Auckland goes against the National Government’s long term objectives.
No matter what korero or conversation he’s had with the Maori Party subsequent to September 2008, regarding seats of any kind, the current situation in Auckland is a reminder to iwi to be vigilant.
But if Rod-the-Hide and Cabinet think it’s over it’s not.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has called for a conscience vote over separate Maori seats and encouraged supportive National Party members to cross the floor. In the community Ngati Whatua is considering a second hikoi, and Tainui say they will boycott any weaker, sub-committee, statutory board, advisory commission no-teeth alternative role on offer.
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