Te Pāti Māori Faces Internal Crisis as MPs Risk Expulsion

Te Pāti Māori is set to address the media following a turbulent period that has led to a significant split within the party. The situation escalated over the past few months, particularly concerning two members of Parliament, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris, who have openly disputed party leadership, notably with president John Tamihere. The party’s National Council convened over the weekend to discuss the future of these MPs, who now face the possibility of expulsion.

The council’s meeting, held on October 21-22, 2023, deliberated on three potential actions regarding Kapa-Kingi and Ferris: issuing a warning, imposing a suspension, or expelling them from the party entirely. Should the council opt for expulsion, both MPs would be forced to serve as independents in Parliament. This scenario raises the possibility of invoking the waka jumping law, which could lead to their removal from Parliament and trigger by-elections in their respective electorates.

Support for Tamihere’s stance appears to be strong within the National Council, which includes himself, executive members, and party co-leaders. According to minutes from a council meeting on October 23, representatives from various electorates indicated their support for action against Kapa-Kingi and Ferris. The representative from Te Tai Hauāuru noted that the party was “bleeding membership” due to negative media coverage linked to Kapa-Kingi’s constituency of Te Tai Tokerau.

During the recent meeting, representatives voted on several resolutions, including one to suspend Kapa-Kingi. This resolution passed with unanimous support from all electorates, except for Te Tai Tokerau and Te Tai Tonga, which is represented by Ferris. Notably, Kapa-Kingi’s own electorate representatives were unable to vote, as the party argued that they had “ceased to perform its duties and functions” in line with the party’s constitution.

The ongoing disputes have reportedly strained Kapa-Kingi’s relationships with various factions within the party. An expulsion would require the party to demonstrate that the MPs had violated the party constitution, known as the Kawa. Kapa-Kingi is alleged to have breached three clauses: making disparaging remarks about the party to the media, overspending her parliamentary budget, and failing to address internal issues directly with the party president. Ferris is accused of breaching two clauses for similar reasons.

If the MPs are expelled, it remains uncertain whether Te Pāti Māori would pursue the waka jumping law to remove them from Parliament. Implementing this law would require evidence that their continued presence disrupts the proportionality of Parliament, a challenging claim. Such a move would also entail significant costs, leading to by-elections in two of the country’s largest electorates: Te Tai Tokerau, which stretches north of Auckland, and Te Tai Tonga, encompassing the entire South Island and Wellington.

As this situation unfolds, the focus will remain on the decisions made by Te Pāti Māori’s National Council and their implications for the party’s future, as well as the potential political landscape in New Zealand.