The Labour Party kindly allowed Hone Harawira to use one of its allocated speaking spots in the second reading debate. Hone was the 9th of twelve speakers in the debate. And then a funny thing happened, as the Herald reports:
The second reading of the bill to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act has passed through Parliament and former Maori Party MP Hone Harawira wasn't there to vote against it - despite the bill being the reason for him leaving his party.
Mr Harawira had an agreement with the Greens that they would vote for him when he was not in the house, but the party only put on record eight votes, and it has nine MPs.
The second reading of the bill passed 62 votes to 56.
Mr Harawira quit the Maori Party last month amid disciplinary action against him over his outspoken criticism of the legislation that replaces the Foreshore and Seabed Act and his complaints about the Maori Party's relationship with the Government.
Oh dear. Oh dear! Hone went for a hikoi after his speech, and wasn;t there for the vote against the legislation he some vehemently opposes. This was after he said this:
"With all my heart and soul I beg the Maori Party to recognise the fact that they have been sold down the river by the National Party and to accept the reality that they occupy a cold and lonely place in the hearts and minds of their people," he said.
"This is racist legislation and thousands will walk away from the Maori Party."
Unfortunately for Hone, the only person walking away today was Hone Harawira; walking away from his job; walking away from his chance to register a protest vote, and walking away from his principles. Hone Harawira is now the poor man's Gordon Copeland!
13 comments:
Aue te morehu! Kei te wareware koe!
He didn't 'walk away' from saying exactly what he thought of the Maori Party, of the National Party and of the Takutai Moana bill.
Forgetting to vote was pretty daft though!
He'll be pissed!
"He'll be pissed!"
What are you suggesting Rob?
Nor is he the "poor man's Gordon Copeland".
He was not speaking for poor people, nor did he fail to vote on their behalf.
He represents (or failed to represent) Maori in one Electorate.
kurt
I'm suggesting that though he missed the vote, he still made a powerful, principled speech and I believe, unlike kurt, that his support will be strong enpough to rock the Maori Party. If they remember to turn up :-)
He did loose a lot though by not concentrating on the finer points of protest.
And by 'pissed' I meant 'off'.
......and I believe, unlike kurt, that his support will be strong enpough to rock the Maori Party.
I expressed no opinion either way.
kurt
@ Kurt - the "poor man's Gordon Copeland" comment was intended to suggest that Hone was a pale imitation of the aforementioned, who missed a crucial vote while giving a media conference saying how he was going to vote (but didn't) when he and United Future parted ways. I wasn't suggesting that Hone is a self-appointed champion of the poor.
True but I'm speculating Kurt.
Do you believe Hone's support will be strong enough to rock the Maori Party?
If you do, I'm wrong about your position. If you don't I'm right!
"Hone was a pale imitation.."
Inv2 - enough of the racist jibes!
As for casting him as champion of the poor ...
Gordon Copeland let God be hix proxy. But God doesn't exist so there but for the grace of personal responsibility go you or I...
Yes, I understood the comparison with Copeland.
Early in Harawira's Parliamentary career a non-Maori visited his Electorate office for assistance and was told Harawira only worked for constituents on the Maori Roll.
@Robert Guyton
Speculating what others might think to enhance your own argument is prejudicial and confrontational.
Much of Harawira's support is likely to harden in the face of this ridicule, and but many will also feel a loss of mana and desert him at election time.
Harawira may seem a fool, but I think his position is more likely to be as expressed so well in this comment on Kiwiblog:
kino flo (49) Says:
March 8th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
"I’m not convinced that he forgot. I was in the house for the debate and vote, and my impression was that he quite deliberately made a point of leaving halfway through Tau Henare’s (awful) speech, and just before the vote. He was about to leave earlier, but checked with one of the messengers as to how long there was to go, and sat down again. I think he chose not to vote with the”noes” in this instance, because it would have aligned him with Labour (who started this disaster), and Act (who are a bunch of racists in his – and Tau Henare’s- mind). In his mind, he made his point with his speech."
kurt
@Kurt you said "Speculating what others might think to enhance your own argument is prejudicial and confrontational."
and then go on to quote someone who is speculating entirely about what Hone may or may not have thought.
then you follow it up with "may seem a fool, but I think.."
Good grief man, do as you say not as others do.
You think, you speculate you make stuff up to create a platform from which to argue... which is fine except that it's confrontational and prejudicial isn't it? Some people eh?
I am consistent.
I am both prejudicial and confrontational.
That was a statement.
If the shoe fits,wear it.
kurt
And opinionated.
kurt
Kurt. Sorry to hear that. By definition of possession of those traits, your sphere of experience (and therefore of knowledge) is limited. Which is sad if you care about that sort of thing. Which I don't. Unless it was me that was like that. Then I'd be sad for myself. Which I'm not. So there. Crotchless panties.
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