Sharples 'shocked' by Harawira's by-election move

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is "shocked and disappointed" renegade MP Hone Harawira is going to force a by-election in Te Tai Tokerau and says his party may stand a candidate.

Mr Harawira left the Maori Party in February after being suspended from caucus because of his criticism of it its relationship with the Government.

He agreed to stand as an independent and to not fight his former colleagues in Maori seats but at the weekend he announced his own left-leaning party, Mana, and said he would force a by-election in his Te Tai Tokerau electorate to seek a new mandate.

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

Dr Sharples said the party was shocked Mr Harawira was breaking his agreement with the Maori Party.

"Our agreement says that 'Hone will continue to represent Te Tai Tokerau as an independent candidate'. The moment he resigns (from Parliament to force the by-election), he has abandoned Te Tai Tokerau and violated the agreement," Dr Sharples said.

"So 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. Whatever the decision, the party was "moving immediately" to rebuild in the electorate, Dr Sharples said.

"If Hone forces a by-election, we certainly want to be ready."

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.

"Everybody waits until after the election is over, sees what the numbers are, and then they make the phone calls," he told Question and Answer.

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.

Mr Harawira yesterday painted a picture of a more left style rather than replacement Maori Party for his new vehicle, and talked about the type of Pakeha who would be involved.

"There are the very, very strong activist group right throughout the country, and two, there's the ordinary New Zealander who just don't buy Phil Goff as the champion of the poor any longer, as the defender of the faith and as the person who's gonna fight for their right to live a decent life in the land of milk and honey."

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