The Maori Party should have instantly expelled Hone Harawira for his "outrageous racist behaviour" says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
Mr Peters used a speech to Grey Power in Wanganui today to attack Mr Harawira for his abusive comments in an email responding to criticism of his trip to Paris while on a parliamentary visit to Europe.
"They reveal his absurd sense of entitlement - in his world, a Maori is entitled to flaunt conventions of behaviour and pick and choose what rules to follow or disregard," Mr Peters said.
"When an MP can vilify other New Zealanders on an overtly racial basis - and not be instantly dismissed from his party - we are in deeply dangerous territory."
Mr Peters said Mr Harawira had "cloaked himself in the rhetoric of Maori grievance...he belongs in a gang somewhere, not in Parliament".
The Maori Party as a whole was culpable because it failed to sack Mr Harawira.
"Although it has a facade of moderation, the Maori Party is a racist party - how could it be anything else?"
The theme of Mr Peters speech was racial division and the "forces of disintegration" he said were "gnawing at the cohesion of New Zealand".
In the past, Mr Peters - whose party is no longer represented in Parliament - has been accused of promoting anti-Asian policies to get elected.
