Te Pāti Māori MP Denies Overspending Claims Amid Controversy

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, a Member of Parliament for Te Pāti Māori, has firmly rejected allegations of significant overspending related to her office budget. The accusations arose from a communication sent by the party’s leadership on October 13, which claimed that Kapa-Kingi was on track to exceed her allocated budget by as much as $133,000.

Kapa-Kingi has stated that her budget for the Tai Tokerau electorate has never been overspent. In response to the leadership’s claims, she expressed her concerns about both the timing and context of the allegations. While she did not directly address the appropriateness of hiring her son, Eru Kapa-Kingi, for a position in her office, she outlined her rationale for budget adjustments made in recent months.

In a social media post, Kapa-Kingi explained that the budget adjustments were necessary to provide support for the late Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who served as the MP for Tāmakai Makaurau. “She needed extra support to focus on her oranga [health], and the responsibility to hāpai [support] her electorate fell to me, as the closest MP to her rohe,” Kapa-Kingi stated.

Kapa-Kingi emphasized that her adjustments were sanctioned by the party’s leadership, and payments related to these adjustments were made without issue. She noted that she took on additional responsibilities as the Party Whip, which typically would have been funded by the central party budget. “I believed Te Pāti Māori leadership would support further budget reallocation to cover the requirements of this role they entrusted me with,” she said.

Despite her efforts to clarify the situation, Kapa-Kingi expressed confusion over why the budget reallocation was made public without the necessary context. “I remain unsure why this budget reallocation was shared publicly without the context it was made in,” she stated.

Kapa-Kingi acknowledged the challenges she has faced during this period but reiterated her commitment to her constituents. “I want to say this clearly: I am here. I am still your MP,” she affirmed. “The path ahead is long, but our tupuna have shown us how to stand firm in the storm and move with dignity through the changing winds.”

In light of the ongoing controversy, John Tamihere, president of Te Pāti Māori, declined to comment further, stating, “Te Pāti Māori Constitution is in plan and no comment will be made.”

As the situation develops, Kapa-Kingi remains focused on her role and the issues that matter most to her electorate.