Outspoken Māori Party MP Hone Harawira is not ruling out running as an independent before this year’s election, reports New Zealand's TV3
Harawira found himself in trouble with his party again after a column he wrote in The Sunday Star Times criticised his party’s support for the conerrvative National Party-led coalition government and the Marine and Coastal Areas Bill.
"The downside of being in government with National is having to put up with all the anti-worker, anti-beneficiary and anti-environment (and therefore anti-Māori) legislation that comes as a natural consequence of having a right-wing government," he wrote.
A complaint was filed with the party’s national council by Te Ururoa Flavell, along with the support of his parliamentary colleagues.
Meanwhile, Māori Party leader Pita Sharples says he and co-leader Tariana Turia are open to putting their leadership up for contest in the wake of the criticism, The New Zealand Herald reports.
Harawira's fellow Māori Party MPs were reported as "ganging up" on him in a TV3 newscast.
Pacific Media Centre
