The pressure's mounting on Ngāpuhi to removed Sonny Tau from Treaty settlement negotiations with the Government.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson last week said Tau should step aside from Ngāpuhi's settlement entity Tūhoronuku after being convicted of hunting and possessing kereru, a native bird.
"It's my considered view that Sonny Tau should move on for the sake of his tribe," said Mr Finlayson.
And Labour's Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis says Tau could stand in the way of a settlement.
"We want to settle, we need to settle and unfortunately Sonny is a polarising figure, and could be a roadblock to the whole settlement process."
Mr Davis says Ngāpuhi needs to have total confidence that its leaders are able to make the right decisions.
"The latest revelations just mean it's not really sensible for him to continue in that position," says Mr Davis.
"I don't think there would be any organisation anywhere in New Zealand which would find it acceptable for their leader to be going into high-powered meetings wearing a GPS monitoring bracelet."
The Tūhoronuku board will meet later this month to discuss Tau's continued status as a trustee.
Newshub.
