Split In The Maori Party Incoming

It is quite clear to the outsider what is known by the insiders. Pita and Tariana clearly do not get along. This is becoming more evident as days go by.

The aged pair are presenting as a couple going through the motions waiting for the other to die. They do their own thing and do not communicate.

Hone Harawira let the cat out of the bag yet again. He was expecting them both to be there when he is disciplined.

She said neither she nor Pita Sharples would be attending a hui in Kaitaia today at which the party is due to decide on any disciplinary action against Mr Harawira. They would instead leave it to the party president and council members.

Mr Harawira had expected the co-leaders to attend and did not know they would not be until the media rang. He told the Herald it was disappointing that they would not be attending. He had understood today was chosen because it was the only day on which the co-leaders could attend.

And this from the report on Stuff:

Party president Whatarangi Winiata and others will attend but Mrs Turia said she and Dr Sharples were too busy and it was a matter for the party to sort out.

How can you be too busy to not attend this meeting? Not attending effectively takes out their 2 votes on the Council deciding Harawira's fate.

The Rules stating,

(note the rules here don't make any bloody sense. With the Co-vice president reference - who on earth is this? There is no President on the Council then? And at 10.4 there is a reference to Co-President? But no Co-Vice President?)

4. Party Structure

4.1 The Party has an National Council (‘the Council’) which provides the Party leadership according to the kaupapa. The Council compromises the following -

Two Co-vice Presidents (one female, one male) and two Co-leaders (one female, one male) who shall hold office for three years and;

Up to four Council members selected by each Electorate (including rangatahi and both wahine and tane), or their substitute as determined by each Electorate. Each shall hold office for one year.

Harawira's own electorate chair seems to already have made up her mind. She's going to blame the leadership for their mis-management of Harawira (whatever that means). The same leadership that isn't going to front at the meeting.

Mr Harawira's electorate committee will meet party president Whatarangi Winiata and co-vice-president Heta Hingston today.

Ngahuia Kapa, the Te Tai Tokerau committee chairwoman, said the electorate supported Mr Harawira, but wanted to lay down three "conditions" to make sure a similar episode did not happen again.

It also wanted to send a message to the co-leaders and president to improve their management of Mr Harawira. "It is a reflection of bad management. We all know this but we're just not talking about it."

That Turia and Sharples are not attending the meeting is not a slight on Harawira at all or a unified washing their hands of him at all. They had the "heads up" that Harawira's own electorate in Kaitaia would have ripped them new backsides for not looking after their bloke!

They aren't fronting because they don't want to hear that from their own membership. All of a sudden the "Hui's for Everyone" consensus style of Maoritanga has been dropped by the leaders. It is now "Hui's for Everyone Else".

And that's the Maori Party's definition of leadership.