There’s Something About Hone
by Jeremy Greenbrook-Held
I quite like Hone Harawira, and I honestly didn’t expect to when he entered Parliament in 2005. I tarred him with the antics of his mother, but was pleasantly surprised. His ability to engage with and advocate for his constituency, his ‘call a spade a spade’ attitude, and his ability to cut through the crap that politics tends to generate would generally make him a successful politician.
And this week he doesn’t fail to disappoint.
First, he went off on a Richard Worth camel ride trip to Paris instead of attending official meetings in Brussels, then he responded to an email questioning his actions in less than poetic language. This has really got under the skin of Stuff.co.nz commentors, who are almost unanimously calling on him to be sacked. The Prime Minister has called Harawira’s comments “deeply offensive”, while Tarina Turia has waded into the fold claiming that Harawira’s actions were damaging to the Maori Party’s reputation.
Now, the trip to Paris wasn’t a great idea (worth noting that Labour MP Rajen Prasad stated at the time “what goes on tour, stays on tour”, while Harawira went right ahead and outed the trip in his own newsletter), and an MP responding to correspondence from a member of the public with abuse isn’t a good look. But the thing is, Harawira doesn’t need to appeal to commentors on Stuff.co.nz. Or John Key. Or even Tariana Turia. Harawira has to appeal to the voters in the Te Tai Tokorau electorate. As Harawira said, his own people will judge him – he’s a straight shooter, doesn’t hide a thing, and I think his constituents respect him immensely for that.
Brendan Burns has blogged that Hone looks likely to go. As much as Labour would like to see the Maori Party cull their most effective highest profile MP, I don’t think it’s very likely. Harawira has a huge majority in his electorate – 32% over Labour’s Kelvin Davis – while Labour won the Party Vote. While Turia and Shapples are bullshiting about their “mana enhancing relationship” with John Key and Rodney Hide, Harawira is saying it how it is, and because of that, I’d say he’s staying right where he is.
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On a related note, I’m informed that Hone turned up to Sue Bradford’s valedictory, but sat in the public gallery wearing a Hawaiian shirt. You got to hand it to him – the man’s got style.
[EDIT: Oh snap, Jake]
Life and Politics 
well well look at us singing from the same song sheet 😉 nice post.
Tarina Turia has waded into the fold claiming that Harawira’s actions were damaging to the Maori Party’s reputation.
Claiming? Stating the bloody obvious, one might think. (But to give credit where credit’s due at least Turia gets it, and didn’t waste her breath trying to defend the indefensible.) Just as Chris Carter’s “don’t hate me ’cause I’m gay” response to perfectly legitimate questions around his own tiki touring on the public tit did Labour no favours at all. Or Bill English’s housing arrangement with my team.
an MP responding to correspondence from a member of the public with abuse isn’t a good look.
Also not smart of an electorate MP to have your obscenity-flecked e-mail meltdown all over someone who 1) can give better than he gets, 2) isn’t the only one with contacts in the media, and 3) actually has extensive flaxroots networks of his own it would very very bad politics for Harawira (or the Maori Party) to alienate.
I’d say Hone has a bet both ways.
If the Maori Party don’t survive past the next couple of elections (after the F&S repeal, what now?), at least Hone’s had some new experiences without picking up the tab. If the Maori Party do survive, such publicity gives Hone more clout in the leadership challenge.
And too right, Craig. Chris Carter, because he’s gay. Hone because he’s brown. Hide because he’s a gym bunny. Or maybe it’s because they are all paid well enough to afford their own bloody holidays.