Hapu Party

The Hapu Party is a Māori political party in New Zealand was formed in August 2008.[1] The party's leader is Northland iwi leader David Rankin.[1]

Policies and actions

The Hapu Party believe that because of poorer Māori health outcomes, and therefore reduced life expectancy, Māori should be eligible for the pension at age 56. It planned to introduce a flat rate 18% personal tax and GST rate. Finally it sought to introduce the allocation of Treaty of Waitangi settlement monies to hapū and marae, and to allow treaty claims to be made over private land.[2]

The Hapu party sought to stand candidates in all seven Māori electorates for the 2008 election.[1] It ran only a single candidate in 2008, receiving only 175 votes.[3] It did not run any candidates in the 2011 election.

Leadership

The party's leader David Rankin, Matarahurahu hapū leader, has become involved in a number of controversies including attempting to ban Māori Party MP Hone Harawira and his mother Titewhai Harawira from Waitangi Day commemorations in 2007.[4] Later he called for Harawira's resignation following Harawira's allegations of racism towards the Australian prime minister.[5] In recent times, Rankin has become involved in the question of authenticity surrounding the auction of a piece of the famous Kororareka flagpole cut down in Russel in 1844 as an act of defiance against British authority, by his great great uncle Hone Heke.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New Maori Party to be launched". 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  2. ↑ "Hapu Party issues shock Treaty policy". Scoop Media. 2008-09-30. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
  3. ↑ "Election Results -- Te Tai Tokerau". Chief Electoral Office. 2008-11-08. Archived from the original on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  4. ↑ "Hapu leader warns Harawiras to stay away from Waitangi". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Backlash against Harawira outburst". Television New Zealand. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  6. ↑ Tahana, Yvonne (30 March 2009). "Flagpole auction raises history question". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 October 2011.


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