Harawira off foreshore committee

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, October 28th, 2010 - 7 comments
Categories: accountability, maori party, Parliament - Tags: , ,

Select committees are very important parts of the Parliamentary process. They take Bills that have gone through first reading, hear submissions, and recommend alterations. Ministers do not (usually) sit on them and they are not meant to be mere rubber stamps for the government. But Hone Harawira’s removal from the foreshore committee shows this government doesn’t care about all that.

No-one seems able to recall another instance of a party pulling one of its select committee members against their will.

How insulting is it of Tariana Turia to say that Harawira was removed because she wanted someone with an ‘open mind’ on the committee? Is Harawira’s mind any more closed that Flavell’s? No. Both have an opinion on the Bill as it stands. Both are quite capable of listening the submissions and coming up with recommendations.

The truth is that Turia and the rest of the government don’t want a real select committee process. They just want a rubber stamp on their Bill.

This isn’t the first time that the Maori Party and National have colluded to frustrate the role of select committees. Local Government Minister John Carter was put on the select committee for the supercity legislation, a clear breach of separation of powers convention. And who can forget the pathetic display as Rahui Katene attempt to repress her own minority report against the Government’s gutting of the ETS after Turia made a last minute deal behind her back to support it.

Turia is a sell-out. And, along with National, she clearly puts no weight on the Parliamentary rules that are designed to aid good lawmaking.

As for Harawira, Turia says it’s up to him whether he stays in the Maori Party or leaves. There’s only one option if he wants to stand true to his principles.

7 comments on “Harawira off foreshore committee ”

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  1. M 1
    28 October 2010 at 9:31 am

    Hone may at times be scary but he is the safety valve for Maori who feel they’re not being heard – his more outrageous statements do get people to sit up and take notice and engage in discussion.

    National know they have the MP roped and tied and are probably hoping they can govern without them should the sheeple be silly enough to re-elect them.

    Tariana would appear to be a modern day Neville Chamberlain.

  2. tc 2
    28 October 2010 at 9:35 am

    How much more shite will Hone take from his own party before he decides to chart his own course…..Turia shows yet again it’s all about her own narrow agenda rather than a broader platform to benefit maori.

    Whanau Ora anybody ?

    • Bright Red 2.1
      28 October 2010 at 9:41 am

      lolz, Whanua Ora. The providers were ment to be announced in July. We’re finally meant to get an announcement tomorrow and it looks like some existing providers are going to get money taken off them to fund Turia’s mates.

  3. Bunji 3
    28 October 2010 at 10:16 am

    National are abusing the select committee process all over the place, denying submissions if they were filed via an electronic form, returning submissions they find “offensive”, failing to follow conventions on giving the opposition time to question etc.
    And if you’re looking for outright select committee abuse – look no further than Tau Henare.

  4. Jim Nald 4
    28 October 2010 at 10:30 am

    Disappointing to read about this cynical move from a party and their co-leaders who have trumpeted due process and accountability but, when it comes to adherence to parliamentary processes, are failing to demonstrate they walk the talk.

  5. tc 5
    28 October 2010 at 11:11 am

    Whanau Ora’s a good example of the msm’s goldfish-esque concentration span…..where’s the follow up obvious questions to the likes of Sideshow/Turia/Ryall.

    Must be great having all that power and funds with no accountability…..the corpratocracy rolls on.

  6. Draco T Bastard 6
    31 October 2010 at 12:28 pm

    Maori consider new hikoi on foreshore

    Rotorua lawyer and Maori Party member Annette Sykes revealed yesterday that activists were circulating emails calling for a protest march to drive home their opposition to the bill, which replaces Labour’s Foreshore and Seabed Act

    So, I take it that the Maori Party is still signing?