Maori Party leaders ponder the Harawira problem

Maori Party leaders are deciding what to do next after a hui in MP Hone Harawira's Te Tai Tokerau electorate dismissed a formal complaint against him laid by his caucus colleagues.

Party president Pem Bird was late last night holding a telephone conference with other members of the national council, which has to decide whether to start disciplinary proceedings against the MP.

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.

But neither Mr Bird nor Mr Flavell attended yesterday's hui near Whangarei, saying they hadn't been invited, and the meeting turned into a support rally for Mr Harawira.

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.

The situation is now more difficult for the party than it was before the hui, and Mr Flavell told NZPA the issue was back in the national council's hands.

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

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

"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.

Mr Bird said it would be "excellent" if a meeting could be arranged between Mr Flavell and Mr Harawira but another outcome could be starting the disciplinary dispute process.