Harawira arrives at marae for Maori Party showdown

Dissenting Maori Party MPs will finally hash out their differences face to face after arriving at a Rotorua marae for a hui this afternoon.

Previously, Mr Harawira had described the gathering as a "kangaroo court", organised by people who wanted him ejected from the party.

Hone Harawira and fellow MP Te Ururoa Flavell arrived at Taheke Marae about 1pm, and were to spend the afternoon discussing a complaint laid by Mr Flavell over a newspaper column Mr Harawira wrote.

In the column, Mr Harawira said the party was too wrapped up with National and was supporting anti-Maori policies.

Placards with messages of support for Mr Harawira were held up outside the marae, including "Give Hone a go", "Support Hone, the people's voice" and "The truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth".

Speaking to media when he arrived at the marae, Mr Harawira said he was looking for a resolution at today's meeting and that he wanted to stay in the party.

"I have no plans to fight anybody today," he said.

"I'm not coming here to be ganged up on... I haven't come with a band of warriors.

"I sincerely hope that this can be moved along to kaupapa Maori, and, under those laws, I'm more than prepared to engage with anybody from the party on any issue."

Mr Harawira dismissed suggestions he wanted to lead the Maori Party.

"At no time have I ever suggested, or has anybody from the Tai Tokerau suggested, that I want to lead the party," he said.

"Tai Tokerau has been very clear it would like me to stay with the party."

Mr Flavell said he would not discuss whether he wanted Mr Harawira to leave the party.

"That's not an issue for me to discuss today," he said.

"That's in the hands of the committee. I'm hopeful that there might be a positive outcome one way or another."

"I've worked with him for 40 years for better or for worse, in good times and in bad, but in the end that's not my decision, that's going to be a decision for the national council."

Party president Pem Bird said there had been a great deal of miscommunication and misinformation leading up to today's hui.

"The right place is here today at this marae ... we're looking at the complaint itself," he said.

A hui held in Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate last week was supposed to resolve the complaint, but neither Mr Flavell nor party president Pem Bird were invited and it turned into a support rally for the MP.

The party's national council referred the complaint to the disciplinary committee, which has scheduled a meeting for February 9.