Agreement says Harawira would remain an independent

The agreement between the Maori Party and renegade MP Hone Harawira states he would continue to serve the Te Tai Tokerau electorate as an independent MP once he quit the party.

However, it is open to dispute because it does not specifically state he can not contest a by-election, whether as an independent or a member of another party.

Mr Harawira announced he wanted a by-election to give his new Mana Party a mandate, when launching it at the weekend.

The by-election will cost about $500,000 -- just months out from a general election in November.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has said his party would consider standing a candidate against Mr Harawira.

Mr Harawira left the Maori Party in February after being suspended from its caucus for criticising its relationship with the Government. Under an agreement between the two sides Mr Harawira was to serve Te Tai Tokerau as an independent.

The agreement also stated he would contest elections either as an independent or a member of another party but would not contest any other Maori seats. In return the Maori Party would not stand in his. The agreement covered any elections in 2011.

The word elections is used throughout but does not specify that it applied only to general elections, however Dr Sharples said by calling the by-election Mr Harawira had violated the agreement.

"We are shocked that Hone would force a by-election costing around $500,000, and breach the agreement he made with us -- especially after he told the media so clearly that he would not do that."

The Maori Party Council would decide whether the party would stand in the by-election after consulting Te Tai Tokerau members.

Mr Harawira told Radio New Zealand this morning that he had not broken the agreement.

"There's nothing at in (the agreement) about new parties or about me being a leader or anything like that, that's just incorrect."

A by-election is a straight competition between candidates -- there is no party vote, unlike a general election.

Mr Harawira was asked what sort of mandate he would get if the Maori Party was not allowed to stand a candidate.

"They are more than welcome to stand against me if they choose to break the agreement, it's really as simple as that... We have not approached anyone to stand in any of the electorates against the Maori Party MPs.

"However if they chose to break the agreement and the deal is off, then the deal is off, and at that point I will make my decision, as indeed the party will."

Mr Harawira would come back to Parliament with an increased salary as a party leader and would have more profile and potential to participate in leaders' debates during November's election.

Party leaders were also entitled to a leader's budget of $100,000 a year and more than $60,000 for every party MP.

Mr Harawira said the funds were irrelevant. He said he was elected for the Maori Party and now needed a new mandate so the by-election was a matter of principle.

Mr Harawira would talk to Speaker Lockwood Smith tomorrow about the process.

Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff have ruled out working with Mr Harawira but the new Mana leader thinks that could change if his party does well in the November election.

Leading left-wing lights John Minto and former Green MP Sue Bradford were at the weekend's Mana launch but only activist Annette Sykes has signed up to be a candidate, and looks a likely co-leader. Ms Bradford said it was too early to say whether she would stand or not.

Mr Harawira yesterday painted a picture of a more left style rather than replacement Maori Party for his new vehicle.

Mr Goff labelled the by-election move a money-wasting stunt.