Doom prophets should get a sense of perspective

Mâori Party MP Hone Harawira’s tirade in parliament yesterday was contradictory, misleading and symptomatic of the excessive negativity the party has overdosed the public with over the past week, says Mâori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia.

Mr Horomia said Mr Harawira’s speech, ostensibly on the Protected Disclosures Amendment Bill, suggested the Te Tai Tokerau MP might need to consider acquiring some protection from his own disclosures.

“The only consistent thing about the speech was Mr Harawira’s repeated reference to hell, which was a little dire. First he appears to rail against the Terrorism Suppression Act asking “Is this whole terrorism thing over-blown? Hell yes!!!”

“Then he goes on to ask “Are these threats from Mâori serious? Hell Yes…..So is this terrorism threat serious? Hell Yes!!!”

“Make up your mind, Hone. Either there’s a serious threat or there’s not – you can’t have it both ways, it’s nonsensical. It’s also irresponsible – a word which I believe characterises some of the other Mâori Party statements made over the past week on the police raids.

“I’ve said that if the police have over-reacted the public will hold them accountable. But until we have all the evidence, none of us is in a position to judge what they have done.”

“Mâori Party co-leader Pita Sharples’ claim that the police actions set back race relations 100 years was alarmist hyperbole regardless – and I believe risked inflaming race relations, Mr Horomia said.

“His colleague Te Ururoa Flavell has now had to accept police didn’t board a bus full of kôhanga reo children, again after launching an attack without all the facts.”

“Worst of all the party is consistently sending our rangatahi the message that they are disempowered, when the trend is increasingly to the contrary. I’m not at all convinced that korero is good for our children or race relations generally. Somebody get Hone and his friends a “get out of hell” card please!”