Maori Party face-off today

MP Hone Harawira is heading to Wellington today to face his four Maori Party caucus colleagues after being suspended from their ranks yesterday.

The parliamentary wing of the Maori Party suspended Mr Harawira yesterday after ongoing tensions reached breaking point at Waitangi over the weekend.

Last month, party whip Te Ururoa Flavell laid a formal complaint after Mr Harawira wrote in a newspaper column that the party was too wrapped up in its coalition with National and was supporting anti-Maori policies.

A disciplinary committee was due to meet tomorrow to discuss the complaint.

Mr Harawira sparked further anger in the party at Waitangi celebrations over the weekend, when he gave a "state of the Maori nation" speech an hour before co-leader Pita Sharples' own speech.

Dr Sharples today defended the timing of the decision to suspend, saying it was separate to the disciplinary process over the complaint.

"Ours is about us being able to operate with integrity as a caucus," he told Radio New Zealand.

The disciplinary committee could ignore the suspension in its deliberations.

"It's something we hate doing and we've put off for so long."

The party needed to show the party had integrity and was trustworthy and the timing was due to it being the start of the political year and the caucus wanted its messages put out.

Dr Sharples said it was "absolutely rubbish" that he was already looking for a replacement and Mr Harawira could return if he followed the party rules.

The caucus considered the effect on the party but he didn't like seeing what Mr Harawira's actions did to his fellow MPs, Dr Sharples said.

Mr Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate had a meeting last night to discuss his suspension. Electorate chairwoman Lisa McNab said the meeting affirmed support of Mr Harawira.

"We were absolutely gutted with what has occurred... I don't understand why the caucus made the decision at all."

It made no sense to take the action two days out from the disciplinary hearing and it was "rubbish" the suspension wouldn't influence the process, she said.

The electorate had not been separately informed about the suspension and she questioned whether a fair process was being used.

She said Mr Harawira would have a press conference in Wellington this morning.

Dr Sharples said Mr Harawira could take his seat in Parliament but he could not speak on behalf of the party.

"He can't speak unless he's called upon by the Speaker, but he can't speak on Caucus business."

The ructions have the potential to split the party which has five MPs in Parliament.

Mr Harawira yesterday remained defiant, accused the co-leaders of trying to influence the disciplinary committee's decision and vowed to turn up at Parliament today.

"I can assure everyone that as long as Maori suffer the economic and social disparities that we do, I will continue to raise those issues both inside and outside the party," he said.

"The decision is clearly aimed at silencing the only voice within the party that has offered any genuine and constructive criticism of the Maori Party's relationship with the National government during a time when food, power and petrol price rises, coupled with an increase in GST, are devastating Maori communities the length and breadth of Aotearoa."