Disciplinary action to start against Harawira

Maori Party leaders have decided to start disciplinary action against MP Hone Harawira.

Te Tai Tokerau electorate yesterday held a hui that was meant to discuss the complaint but as key critics were not invited ended up being a support rally for Mr Harawaira which called for the complaint to be dismissed.

Radio New Zealand reported this morning that the national council had decided not to hold another hui, which had been an option, but to start disciplinary proceedings.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell laid the complaint over Mr Harawira's criticism in a newspaper article of the party's support for the Government and polices he said were anti-Maori.

The complaint was supported by party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, and its other MP Rahui Katene.

Neither Maori Party president Pem Bird nor Mr Flavell attended yesterday's hui near Whangarei.

About 100 of Mr Harawira's backers attended and the outcome was rejection of the complaint, a demand that constutional law expert Mai Chen be sacked from her role as an advisor to the party and that Mr Harawira should travel around the country to find out how much support there was for his concerns.

Mr Harawira, and his electorate committee, were defiant after the hui.

"We are of the belief that a select few within the Maori Party hierarchy are trying to silence what our people believe in," electorate chairwoman Lisa McNab said.

"We have received overwhelming messages of support for Hone. The message has been resolute: Hone speaks the truth and the truth should not be silenced."

Hui facilitator Malcolm Mulholland said the people who filed the complaint should apologise.

"This, at the heart of it, is not about Hone versus the other four (Maori Party MPs), this is about the future direction of the party," he said.

Mr Flavell said the complaint could not be dealt with by the hui because he wasn't there.

"I have had no communication whatsoever from the Te Tai Tokerau electorate, or anyone associated with it," he told NZPA.