Lacking perspective

Hone Harawira's niece, Te Atakura Huata-Harawira, 19, who he thinks of "as a daughter", has been sentenced to two years and one month in prison for being the get-a-away driver in a bottlestore robbery. Harawira wants her to be given a second chance;

"All we wanted was to bring her home, just give her a chance of a new start. She's not a bad girl," Mr Harawira told Hawke's Bay Today outside the courtroom.

Fair enough. But this is the man who has sacked Maori women for smoking. They weren't being shown any leniency.