Oh, the madness

How can a caucus of three be so dysfunctional?

NZ Herald:
--Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has confirmed he is being challenged for the position by Te Ururoa Flavell.
Maori Party president Pem Bird will lead a meeting with the party this afternoon over the leadership challenge.
Dr Sharples reportedly said in his arrival speech at the annual Ratana celebrations near Wanganui he would stand down if asked to by the party.
A replacement for outgoing co-leader Tariana Turia is likely to be announced this week during the Ratana celebrations.
Mana Party leader Hone Harawira issued a statement this morning saying he would be open to the idea of working with the party to reinvigorate its leadership, which he said was ``old and tired''.
--

Te Ururoa and Pem are at it again! Don and Sancho off on another tilt at the windmill - their coup plotting is getting ridiculous as it is public.

As Morgan Godfery put it today:
--
 In his quest for the leadership he and Pem Bird have driven Hone out of the party and, according to Patrick Gower, are attempting to mount another leadership challenge against Pita. The change needs to happen, but on Pita’s terms. Te Ururoa’s reckless ambition already led to the creation of the Mana Party, he must be careful not to let it lead to a death warrant for the Maori Party.
--

Te Ururoa's fixation on the leadership is disunity and as such is at the expense of the Maori Party as a whole, but he - and the President (also from the same electorate, which makes the conspiring a bit easier) - seem to think it a worthwhile sacrifice.

Enter stage left:

Hone Harawira:
--
“It’s nice to be wanted but being the leader of the Maori Party right now is like being the captain of the Titanic just before it smacks into the iceberg” said MANA Movement Leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira, following requests from Maori Party members that he come back to lead the party.“I’ve been asked by various kaumatua and kuia to come back because of the divisions within the leadership and the fact that the Maori Party seems to be dying” said Harawira “but there would need to be some clear baselines to any discussions”.
“The MANA Movement has a very clear focus of standing up for the poor and the dispossessed while the Maori Party seems happy to be ministers in a National government. Their role as National Party devotees would have to end”.
--

Carefully avoiding any mention of Te Ururoa!  He provoked a crisis with Hone to cut him out of the party because that is the only way he could gain the leadership (as Hone would have won that contest).  However a large number a Mana members - and probably a few Maori Party members too - would prefer a combined party, but there are two distinct policies and styles developed (eg. the inclusion of many Pakeha in Mana) and add the personalities to that and they are now politically (if not ideologically) incompatible.

--
“I think a MANA MAORI union is what Maori people want. I have made the offer in the past and I happily make that offer again in the best interests of the people”.
“I am going to Ratana this week and if the opportunity arises to further these discussions, I would welcome them”. “The ball is in the Maori Party’s court …”
--

The Maori Party is toast. There's stuff all over twitter today incl. that Rahui Katene will replace Tariana as female leader and stand in her seat.