10 August 2007

On balance, Harawira doing the right thing

The Green Party has come out against criticism of Maori Party MP Hone Harawira for leaving a select committee working trip to Victoria on election finance and victims rights, in order to go to Alice Springs to discuss the plight of Aboriginal communities under attack in the Northern Territory

"The situation Hone went to see and discuss with the people affected is one of the most serious setbacks in Australia's relationship with indigenous peoples in decades, and Hone can now give New Zealanders a first hand report on just what is happening up there, and on what the people concerned feel that the outside world can best do to help," Greens' Maori Affairs Spokesperson Metiria Turei says.

"I think that the other political parties criticising Hone for his stance should stop for a moment, and recall when one of their own members went sightseeing on camels while on parliamentary business, or when others have gone to rugby matches while overseas. Hone's actions were not in that category - he paid his own way to Alice Springs, and he was investigating an issue that the Maori Party had already taken a strong public stand about," Mrs Turei says.

"'I support Hone's actions in going 100 per cent," says Nandor Tanczos, the Green member on the select committee. "The committee is doing important work, but indigenous rights is core business for him, and human rights is one of the subject areas of the committee in any case. It was also important that he go this week because the federal government is passing legislation on this issue this week, with only a one day select committee hearing."

"It will be up to Hone and the Clerk of the House to sit down later and sort out who may owe what, according to the rule," Mrs Turei says.." For now though, the larger point is that Hone has made a stand on behalf of Aboriginal families and communities who are being subjected to oppressive and intrusive actions by the federal government. Hone's stand is something all New Zealanders can and should be supporting."

ENDS

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