Te Pāti Māori

{{#invoke:Lang|lang}} ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}), also known as the Māori Party, is a left-wing political party in New Zealand advocating Māori rights.<ref name="liberal">Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With the exception of a handful of general electorates,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} contests the reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party.

Under the current leadership of Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, it promotes the following policies: the upholding of {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, the dismantling of systemic racism, and the strengthening of the rights and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> promised in {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The party is also committed to a mixture of socially progressive and green policy through a "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}-centric" lens.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This includes eradicating Goods and Services Tax on food, opposing deep sea drilling, organising and funding a Māori health authority, lifting the minimum wage to $25 an hour, returning Department of Conservation land to Māori {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, and reducing homelessness.<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer's leadership began in 2020, the party has been described as left-wing,<ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="auto1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and progressive.<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tariana Turia founded the Māori Party in 2004 after resigning from the governing Labour Party, in which she served as a minister, over the foreshore and seabed ownership controversy. She and Pita Sharples, a high-profile academic, became the first co-leaders. The party won four Māori seats in the 2005 election and went into Opposition. After the 2008, 2011 and 2014 elections, where the party won five, three and two Māori seats respectively, it supported a government led by the centre-right National Party,<ref name="Marsh-Miller">Template:Cite book</ref> with the Māori Party co-leaders serving as ministers outside cabinet. During this time, the party advocated more moderate politics.<ref name="auto2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The party won no seats in the 2017 election,<ref name="2017 general election results">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which was analysed as being backlash for their support of National.<ref name="auto2" /> Under new leadership they returned at the 2020 general election, when Rawiri Waititi won the Waiariki electorate. Although the party's share of the country-wide party vote declined from 1.18% in 2017 to 1.17% in 2020, winning Waiariki gave the party the right to full proportional representation, giving it two MPs, with co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer subsequently becoming a list MP.<ref name="RNZ 6 Nov 2020" /> Waititi joined Ngarewa-Packer as co-leader in October 2020 and the pair led the party to win six electorate seats and 3.08% of the popular vote in the 2023 general election.<ref name="2023 results">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Formation

The origins of Te Pāti Māori can be traced back to the 2004 foreshore and seabed controversy, a debate about whether the Māori have legitimate claim to ownership of part or all of New Zealand's foreshore and seabed that arose during the Fifth Labour Government. A court judgement stated that some Māori appeared to have the right to seek formal ownership of a specific portion of seabed in the Marlborough Sounds. This prospect alarmed many sectors of New Zealand society however, and the Labour Party foreshadowed legislation in favour of state ownership instead. This angered many Māori, including many of Labour's Māori MPs. Two MPs representing Māori electorates, Tariana Turia and Nanaia Mahuta, announced an intent to vote against the legislation.<ref name="Morgan Godfery pp. 240-241">Morgan Godfery, "Chapter 4.4: The Māori Party," pp. 240–241.</ref>

Turia, a junior minister, after being informed that voting against the government would appear "incompatible" with holding ministerial rank, announced on 30 April 2004 her intention to resign from the Labour Party. Her resignation took effect on 17 May, and she left parliament until she won a by-election in her Te Tai Hauauru seat two months later. After leaving the Labour Party, Turia, later joined by Sharples, began organising a new political party. They and their supporters agreed that the new organisation would simply use the name of "the Māori Party". They chose a logo of black and red—traditional Māori colours—incorporating a traditional koru design. The party constitution provides that there are two party co-leaders, one male and one female.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Turia and Sharples were the first to fill these roles. They indicated that they wished to unite "all Māori" into a single political movement.<ref name="Morgan Godfery pp. 240-241" /> The party was formally established on 7 July 2004.<ref name=Ngatai2013>Template:Cite press release</ref>

2005 election and first term in Parliament

In the 2005 election, the Māori Party won four out of seven Māori seats and 2.12% of the party vote. The latter entitled the party to only three list seats, so the fourth electorate seat caused an overhang seat. In the election night count, the party vote share was under 2% and the Māori Party would have got two overhang seats; when the overhang was reduced to one, National lost a list seat that they appeared to have won on election night. Tariana Turia held Te Tai Hauauru; Pita Sharples won the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate; Hone Harawira, son of Titewhai Harawira, won Te Tai Tokerau; and Te Ururoa Flavell won Waiariki.<ref>Morgan Godfery, "Chapter 4.4: The Māori Party," pp. 243–244.</ref>

In the post-election period the Māori Party convened a series of hui to decide whether to support Labour or National, though some party leaders indicated they preferred to deal with Labour. National Party deputy leader Gerry Brownlee and leader Don Brash tried to win over the Māori Party and claimed that it would support National to form a government, although Turia denied this.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She met privately with prime minister Helen Clark and ruled out a formal coalition. Later, the Māori Party decided to remain in opposition and not be part of a Labour-led government.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 24 January 2006 the Māori Party's four MPs were jointly welcomed to Rātana pā with Brash and a delegation of eight National MPs. They had been intended to be welcomed on half an hour apart but agreed to be welcomed and sit together. Turia disputed claims that this was pre-arranged, saying: "We're here for a birthday. We're not here for politics."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However critics said this would have reminded onlookers of how the Māori Party and National were said to be in coalition or confidence and supply talks. This may also have served to reinforce the Labour Party's election campaign statement that a 'vote for the Māori Party is a vote for National'. One Rātana kaumatua (elder) said this was deliberate and deserved after the talks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Supporting a National-led government: 2008–2017

In the 2008 general election the Māori Party retained all four of the seats it won in 2005, and won an additional seat, when Rahui Katene won Te Tai Tonga from Labour. Two seats were overhang seats. The party's share of the party vote rose slightly to 2.39%.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Labour Party won the party vote by a large majority in every Māori electorate, meaning that the typical Māori voter had split their vote, voting for a Māori Party candidate with their electorate vote and the Labour Party with their party vote.<ref>See Māori electorate results at Chief Electoral Office: Official Count results: Electorate details Template:Webarchive.</ref>

The National Party won the most seats overall and formed a minority government with the support of the Māori Party, ACT New Zealand and United Future. Sharples was given the Minister of Māori Affairs portfolio and became an Associate Minister of Corrections and Associate Minister of Education. Turia became Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Associate Minister of Health and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10543509">Template:Cite news</ref> Hone Harawira was critical of the alliance with the National Party and was suspended from the Māori Party in February 2011. He left the party and formed the left-wing Mana Party in April 2011.<ref>Morgan Godfery, "Chapter 4.4: The Māori Party," pp. 246–247.</ref>

Competing against Mana, the Māori Party's strength diminished. In the 2011 general election, it won only three electorates (with 1.43% of the party vote, the party was entitled to two seats, resulting in an overhang of one seat). The three MPs were Pita Sharples in Tāmaki Makaurau, Tariana Turia in Te Tai Hauāuru and Te Ururoa Flavell in Waiāriki. Rahui Katene lost the Te Tai Tonga seat to Labour's Rino Tirikatene, and Hone Harawira won the Te Tai Tokerau seat for the Mana Party. The National Party again formed a minority government with the support of the Māori Party, ACT New Zealand and United Future. Sharples and Turia were returned as ministers outside cabinet. Ahead of the 2014 general election, Flavell became the male co-leader. Neither Sharples nor Turia stood for re-election.<ref>Morgan Godfery, "Chapter 4.4: The Māori Party," pp. 247–248.</ref> At the election, Flavell held Waiāriki electorate seat, and the party was entitled to one further list seat as it received 1.32% of the party vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This went to Marama Fox, who became the next female co-leader.Template:Cn

Prior to the 2017 general election, the Māori Party formed an electoral pact with the Mana Movement leader and former Māori Party MP Hone Harawira. The Māori Party agreed not to contest Te Tai Tokerau as part of a deal for the two parties to try to regain the Māori electorates from the Labour Party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the election, they failed to take any seats, with Labour capturing all seven of the Māori electorates.<ref name="2017 general election results" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell expressed sadness at the loss of seats and announced he would be resigning from politics.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fellow co-leader Marama Fox expressed bitterness at the party's defeat, remarking that New Zealand had chosen to return to the "age of colonization" and attacked the two major parties, National and Labour, for their alleged paternalism towards Māori.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fox commented that Māori have "gone back like a beaten wife to the abuser" in regards to Labour's sweep of the Māori seats.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Metro Magazine described the Māori Party's poor results as being part of backlash against them for helping National form a government.<ref name="auto2" /> Within the following 12 months, the party’s senior figures resigned: Flavell and Fox stepped down from the co-leadership and party president Tukoroirangi Morgan also resigned. This opened the field for a new generation of party leaders, namely Rāwiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.Template:Cn

2020 general election

The party announced John Tamihere as its candidate for the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate in March 2020. Tamihere had held the electorate from 2002 to 2005, but for the Labour Party. He had also run for Mayor of Auckland in 2019 without success.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tamihere's mayoral campaign was more right-wing, and he said the Māori Party could happily work with the National Party. This contradicted Māori Party President Che Wilson, who had set out a clear preference to work with Labour and had said "if we ever do talk to National it will have to be a big deal for us to move that way again."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 15 April 2020, the party announced that John Tamihere and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer were the new party co-leaders.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late May 2020, the party received a broadcasting allocation of $145,101 for the 2020 election.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In September 2020, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate Heather Te Au-Skipworth released the party's sports policy which included establishing a national Māori sporting body and investing in Māori sporting scholarships and programs. She also stated "it is a known fact that Māori genetic makeup is stronger than others... Our ancestors were not just athletic, they were also strategic thinkers with intentions to survive. This all required stamina, resilience, endurance, speed, agility and logic."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The genetic superiority remarks were subsequently deleted prior to the 2023 New Zealand general election.<ref name="TVNZ Sep 2023">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="CLM Sep 2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At the 2020 general election, held in October, the Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi captured the Waiariki electorate, defeating Labour MP Tāmati Coffey by a margin of 836 votes. This allowed the Māori Party to enter Parliament, and with its party vote of 1.2%, it was entitled to two MPs.<ref name="results2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer entered Parliament as the highest-ranked person on the party list.<ref name="RNZ 6 Nov 2020">Template:Cite news</ref> As the only male Māori Party MP, Waititi replaced Tamihere as a co-leader.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 11 November, former party co-leader Tamihere requested a vote recount in the Māori electorates of Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Hauāuru, alleging Māori voters had encountered discrimination during the 2020 election. Tamihere claimed that the recount was intended to expose discriminatory laws such as the five-yearly Māori Electoral Option (which limited the ability of Māori to switch between the general and Māori rolls for a period five years). He also alleged longer wait times for Māori voters at election booths and some Māori not being allowed to vote on the Māori roll.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2020–2023 parliamentary term

On 26 November 2020, Te Pāti Māori MPs Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer walked out of Parliament after the Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard did not allow them to speak due to parliamentary procedures limiting the speaking time by smaller parties. Waititi had attempted to pass a motion that their party leaders be allowed to give a 15-minute "address in reply" but Mallard had blocked the motion on the grounds that MPs from smaller parties were not scheduled to give their maiden speeches until the following week. Waititi described Mallard's decision as unfair while Ngarewa-Packer claimed that this was "another example of the Māori voice being silenced and ignored."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2020 election donations investigation

On 12 April 2021, the Electoral Commission referred Te Pāti Māori to the Police for failing to disclose about NZ$320,000 worth of donations within the required timeframe. These donations came from several individuals and organisations including former party co-leader Tamihere (NZ$158,223.72), the Urban Māori Authority (NZ$48,879.85), and the Aotearoa Te Kahu Limited Partnership (NZ$120,000). Party President Che Wilson attributed the late disclosure to the fact that the party was staffed by volunteers and rookies who were unfamiliar with electoral finance laws.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 29 April, the Police referred the investigation into the Māori Party's undeclared donations to the Serious Fraud Office.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By late September 2022, the Serious Fraud Office had closed the investigation and decided not to pursue prosecutions against the individuals and parties involved.<ref name="Bryce Edwards 30 Sep 2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In late September 2022, Charities Services general manager Natasha Weight confirmed that the agency was investigating two charities headed by Party President Tamihere, the Te Whānau Waipareira Trust and the National Urban Māori Authority, for financing his 2020 election campaign. According to the Charities Register, Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust Group had loaned Tamihere NZ$385,307 to support his 2020 election campaign while the National Urban Māori Authority had paid NZ$82,695 to support his 2020 election campaign and Te Pāti Māori aspirations. Under existing legislation, charities are not allowed to donate and endorse political parties and candidates or allow them to use a charity's resources. In response, Tamihere accused the Charities Services of discriminating against Te Pāti Māori and Māori causes. Tamihere and Te Pāti Māori also confirmed that they would litigate against the Charities Service if the agency ruled against them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tamihere also criticised The New Zealand Herald journalist Matt Nippert's coverage of the two charities' donations to his campaigns, accusing the newspaper of racism and announcing that Te Pāti Māori would boycott the Herald.<ref name="Bryce Edwards 30 Sep 2022" />

Hate Speech Task Force, 2021

In June 2021, Te Pāti Māori called for a joint task force between the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service and New Zealand Police targeting right-wing extremists and rising anti-Māori hate speech in response to a YouTube video featuring a masked man calling for the slaughter of Māori and for a civil war. The video was later removed by YouTube for a breach of its community guidelines.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a tweet, the party said that the video contained threats against its MPs, marae and Māori.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> Police arrested a man after receiving multiple complaints about the video and a day after Te Pāti Māori laid a complaint with the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> A 44-year-old male was charged with making an objectionable publication.<ref name=":2" />

In the complaint to the IPCA, the party accused the police of having double standards when dealing with death threats made against Pākehā and Māori.<ref name="Newshub 2 June 2021">Template:Cite news</ref> It compared the police's response to the video with the treatment of those who made death threats against National MP Simeon Brown.<ref name="Newshub 2 June 2021" /> Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer stated, "Communication and response time was inadequate, the police have continued to minimise the nature of the threat against us and our people".<ref name="Newshub 2 June 2021" />

Racial discrimination

On 29 August 2023, Te Pāti Māori made a series of tweets apologizing to refugee and migrant communities for "harmful narratives" of "xenophobia and racism" on their official party website.<ref name=":7">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":8">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Te Pāti Māori said they had removed words for their website and was rewriting policy documents. An example of policy rewriting included the "Indigenous First" framework in the party's Whānau Build policy.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":8" /> The policy indicated the intent to place Māori housing needs before all others.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":8" /> In 2022, Te Pāti Māori also removed a reference from its sports policy that said Māori genetic makeup was stronger than others.<ref name=":8" /> The now removed statement read, "It is a known fact that Māori genetic makeup is stronger than others."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Whaitiri joins party

On 3 May 2023, sitting minister Meka Whaitiri announced that she had left the Labour Party to join Te Pāti Māori. Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe confirmed that Whaitiri would serve the remainder of her 2020–2023 term as an independent member of Parliament under standing order 35(5), which avoids invoking the "waka-jumping" provisions of the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whaitiri does not sit with her party in Parliament. She will recontest the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate as a Māori Party candidate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 10 May, Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi held a haka (dance) during Parliamentary proceedings to welcome Whaitiri to the Māori Party. In response, Rurawhe ordered Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi to leave Parliament since they had not obtained the permission of the Speaker or other parliamentary parties to hold the haka.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Name change

The party registered its new name, Te Pāti Māori, with the Electoral Commission on 12 July 2023, replacing its previous name, the Māori Party.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2023 election

Te Pāti Māori launched its 2023 general election campaign at Te Whānau O Waipareira's Matariki event in Henderson, Auckland on 14 July. The party campaigned on advancing the interests of the Māori people, combating racism, and the "second-rate" status of Māori, as Ngarewa-Packer labelled it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 27 July, the party announced several redistributive tax policies including a zero tax policy on those earning below NZ$30,000, a new 48% tax on those earning above NZ$300,000, raising the companies tax rate back to 33% and a wealth tax on millionaires.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 2 August, the party campaigned on ending state care for Māori children and replacing the present Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) with an independent Mokopuna Māori Authority that would network with Māori organisations, iwi (tribes), and hapū (sub-groups) to ensure that Māori children remained connected with their whakapapa (genealogies).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late August 2023, Te Pāti Māori revised its Whanau Build (housing) policy to eliminate an "indigenous first" provision which called for immigration to be curbed until the country's housing supply was addressed. The party also apologised to migrant and refugee communities for promoting what it described as "harmful narratives" on its website, and reiterated that it would treat everyone like how they would be treated as guests on a marae.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During an interview with TVNZ journalist Jack Tame in September 2023, Waititi also denied that his party's sports policy' comments about "Māori genetic makeup being stronger than others" were racist. These comments were subsequently deleted from Te Pāti Māori's website. When challenged by Tame, he responded that TPM was "trying to empower people that are climbing out from the bottom of the bonnet of colonial violence for the last 193 years" by encouraging pride in their heritage.<ref name="TVNZ Sep 2023" /><ref name="CLM Sep 2023" />

Te Pāti Māori won six electorate seats and 3.08% of the popular vote.<ref name="2023 results" /> Meka Whaitiri stood as the party's candidate in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate but was defeated by Labour's candidate Cushla Tangaere-Manuel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite Whaitiri's unseating, the 2023 election outcome was Te Pāti Māori's most successful election result.<ref name="RNZ 21 Dec 2023">Template:Cite news</ref>

2023–present: In opposition

Ngarewa Packer stated that the party would serve as "the only true opposition" in Parliament for the next term, adding that their plans were "to shake Parliament up and normalise it for Māori."<ref name="RNZ 21 Dec 2023" /> During the opening of the 54th New Zealand Parliament on 5 December 2023, Te Pāti Māori organised a series of nationwide protests known as the National Māori Action Day to protest against the National-led coalition government's policies on co-governance and the Treaty of Waitangi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party's MPs also modified their oaths of allegiances to reference the Treaty of Waitangi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late May 2024, Te Pāti Māori and the Toitu Te Tiriti movement called for a nationwide day of protest known as "Toitū Te Tiriti National Day of Action" to coincide with the release of the 2024 New Zealand budget on 30 May. The protest was in opposition to the National-led government perceived assault on Tangata whenua and the Treaty of Waitangi. The party urged all Māori to go on strike and attend hīkoi (protests) near their location. Protest action includes a car convoy traveling from State Highway 1 south of Auckland to Hamilton.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Te Pāti Māori claimed that 100,000 people attended the "car-koi activation" rallies nationwide and advocated the establishment of a Māori parliament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 14 November 2024, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke along with co-leaders Waititi, Ngarewa-Packer and Labour MP Peeni Henare led a protest haka (Ka Mate) that disrupted vote proceedings during the first reading of ACT party leader David Seymour's contentious Treaty Principles Bill. On 10 December, the four were referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for their disruptive actions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In late March 2025, the Privileges Committee ruled that Henare had acted in a "disorderly" way in joining the TPM-led haka but ruled that his actions did not amount to "contempt."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 14 May 2025, the Committee found Maipi-Clarke, Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer in contempt of Parliament. Maipi-Clarke was suspended from Parliament for seven days while Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer were suspended for 21 days. Te Pāti denounced the suspensions as an attempt by colonial powers to intimidate Māori.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 4 February 2025, Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer proposed the creation of a Parliamentary Commissioner for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, who would have extraordinary powers to audit bills and issue a "Tiriti veto" if policy and bills did not comply with the Treaty. They said this would be a "bottomline" in any coalition negotiations during events leading up to Waitangi Day at the Treaty Grounds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In response, ACT leader Seymour accused Te Pāti Māori of attempting to "break democracy" and urged Labour leader Chris Hipkins to rule out such as policy. Hipkins said he would not support TPM's policy for a Te Tiriti Commissioner with the powers to overturn law but added he was open to ensuring there were better "checks and balances" in New Zealand's constitutional framework.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 10 April 2025, Te Pāti Māori announced that the party would be standing candidates in general seats at the 2026 New Zealand general election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2023 election data breach allegations

On 2 June 2024, the Sunday Star Times journalist Andrea Vance reported that Statistics New Zealand was investigating allegations by former staff at Manurewa Marae that Te Pāti Māori had illegally used 2023 New Zealand census data to target Māori electorate voters in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate during the 2023 election, and that participants were given supermarket vouchers, wellness packs and food parcels to encourage them to fill out census forms and switch to the Māori electoral roll. Te Pāti Māori's candidate Takutai Moana Kemp had won the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate during the 2023 general election. A whistleblower from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) had alerted Statistics NZ and the Police. In response, Te Pāti Māori leader Tamihere denied the allegations and claimed that they were made by disgruntled former staff. Tamihere said that the marae had been working with the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency to promote Māori participation in the 2023 census. Tamihere also acknowledged that marae workers had given gifts to encourage people to participate in the 2023 Census and switch to the Māori roll but denied allegations of wrongdoing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 5 June, Vance reported that the Labour Party had filed a complaint against Te Pāti Māori in November 2023 for allegedly using personal information collected during the COVID-19 immunisation programme for political campaigning purposes during the 2023 election, which constitutes a breach of electoral law. Labour's complaint alleged that Māori voters in Auckland had received two text messages from the text code 2661 urging them to vote for Te Pāti Māori. 2661 was registered with the Waipareira Trust, which is led by TPM's President Tamihere.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In response, Labour leader Chris Hipkins, ACT New Zealand leader David Seymour, Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon called for an investigation into the allegations against TPM.<ref name="NZH Hipkins Jun 2024">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NZH Luxon Jun 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> The Privacy Commissioner also confirmed that Statistics NZ had alerted it to a potential privacy breach during its investigation. Chief statistician Mark Sowden also called for anyone with information to contact Statistics NZ.<ref name="NZH Luxon Jun 2024" /> In response to the second allegations, Tamihere issued a press release denouncing the allegations as baseless and claiming that the party was being targeted by opponents for speaking up for Māori. Tamihere also accused Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki and his followers of attempting to take over Manurewa Marae.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 7 June, co-leaders Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer called for an urgent Police investigation into the data breach allegations made against Te Pāti Māori. Police confirmed they were already investigating complaints they had received.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That same day, acting Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott convened a meeting with the heads of the Statistics New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Internal Affairs, Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry for Māori Development), Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the New Zealand Police and Electoral Commission to ensure that all relevant agencies were investigating the data breach allegations<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 10 June 2024, Prime Minister Luxon announced that the Public Service Commission would launch an independent inquiry into government agencies' safeguards for protecting people's personal data and the circumstances surrounding the data breach allegations against Te Pāti Māori. The party was not notified of the Commission's inquiry. Employment advocate Allan Hulse, who represented six former Manurewa Marae staff and the MSD employee, alleged that 1,400 census forms were photocopied and uploaded into a database owned by the Waiparera Trust. Hulse also alleged that staff used census data to help people transfer from the general to Māori roll. Tamihere has rejected these allegations, calling for people to produce "hard evidence."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In early July 2024, former Māori academic Rawiri Taonui disputed the allegations against Te Pāti Māori, the Waipareira Trust and Manurewa Marae; arguing that photocopies of census data were taken solely for verification purposes and destroyed, highlighting that Statistics New Zealand had clarified that neither Tamihera, the Waipareira Trust and the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency had access to their database, disputing that vouchers were used to encourage people to switch to the Māori electoral roll, and denying that Māori Party flyers were included in wellbeing packs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In late August 2024, Taonui claimed that the whistleblowers were connected to Destiny Church and had instigated the allegations against Manurewa Marae and Te Pāti Māori following a failed attempt by the church to take over the marae.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 22 January 2025, a Statistics New Zealand report cleared the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency of data breaches during the 2023 Census, finding that the agency increased Māori participation. The report made nine recommendations to improve Statistics NZ's procedures and referred allegations against Manurewa Marae to the Privacy Commissioner. The report also found no evidence that one of the alleged whistleblowers had attempted to contact Statistics NZ regarding allegations against the marae.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 11 February 2025, The New Zealand Herald reported that Detective Superintendent Ross McKay was leading the inquiry into allegations regarding Te Pāti Māori's misuse of census data and Covid-19 vaccination information at Manurewa Marae for electoral campaigning purposes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Principles and policy

The party is committed to advancing what it sees as the rights and interests of the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Increasingly since the beginning of colonisation, Māori have been marginalised and the group is now a minority within New Zealand alongside Pacific Islanders.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Te Pāti Māori policy focuses particularly on affordable housing,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Māori recruitment into tertiary institutes<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and a living wage for all workers,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> based on the premise that Māori are among the low-socioeconomic communities in New Zealand who are the most economically disadvantaged.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the 2020s, Te Pāti Māori has been widely described as progressive,<ref name="auto" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5" /> and further to the political left than Labour by Al Jazeera<ref name="auto1" /> and Newshub.<ref name=":5" /> (Previously, during its years in alliance with National, the party had been described as centrist.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>)

The Māori Party was formed in response to the 2004 foreshore and seabed controversy, a debate about whether Māori have legitimate claim to ownership of part or all of New Zealand's foreshore and seabed. The founders of the party believed that:

• Māori owned the foreshore and seabed before British colonisation;
• {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} made no specific mention of foreshore or seabed;
• No-one has subsequently purchased or otherwise acquired the foreshore or the seabed; and
• Māori should therefore still own the seabed and the foreshore today.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (policy platform) of Te Pāti Māori is based on four principles or pillars:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (includes policies regarding affordable housing,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> strengthening employment-support for Māori beneficiaries<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and te reo Māori)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles (includes holding the Crown accountable to their obligations under {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, and policies on immigration)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (includes policies on climate change in the Pacific and scholarships for Māori and Pasifika education to advance Māori and Pasifika as a collective)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (includes policies on growing iwi economic resources<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and to protect freshwater as a {{#invoke:Lang|lang}})<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

These principles enable Te Pāti Māori to be held accountable for the maintenance and furthering of Māori concepts in the decision-making process. These concepts are not reflected in the traditional Westminster system and Māori customary law is excluded from the New Zealand general legal system.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Other Māori-rights-specific party policies have included the upholding of "indigenous values"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and compulsory "heritage studies" in schools.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2022 on Waitangi Day, the party called for Queen Elizabeth II to be removed as New Zealand's head of state and for the return of land to iwi and hapū.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The party is also committed to a mixture of socially progressive and environmentalist policy through a "Titiri-centric" Māori lens.<ref name=":3" /> The party is committed to eradicating Goods and Services Tax on food, opposing deep sea drilling, organising and funding a Māori health authority and reducing homelessness in Māori communities.<ref name=":4" />

Renaming New Zealand campaign

In September 2021 the party launched an online petition to:

• change the country's official name to Aotearoa and
• officially restore Te Reo Māori names for all place names.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref name="Change official name">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In its statement is mentioned Article 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi which gave the Māori language equal status with English.<ref name="Change official name" /> By 17 September 2021, 51,000 had signed the petition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

By early June 2022, a petition from Te Pāti Māori to rename New Zealand as "Aotearoa" had received over 70,000 signatures. On 2 June, the petition was submitted before Parliament's petitions committee. Waititi argued that the proposed name change would recognise New Zealand's indigenous heritage and strengthen its identity as a Pacific country. He opposed the idea of a referendum, claiming it would entrench the "tyranny of the majority".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Foreign policy issues

In May 2021, Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi supported Green Member of Parliament Golriz Ghahraman's push for New Zealand to recognise the State of Palestine.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During the Gaza war, Te Pāti Māori advocated the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador, Ran Yaakoby if Israel did not implement a ceasefire or open a humanitarian corridor in Gaza.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Co-leader Ngarewa Packer also defended Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick's controversial "From the river to the sea" statement and urged the care-taker Labour Government to call for an "end to war crimes."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Electoral performance

House of Representatives

Election	Votes	%	Seats		+/–	Position	Status
			Māori	Total
2005	48,263	2.12%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 4	Template:Increase 5th	Template:No2
2008	55,980	2.39%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:Steady 5th	Template:Partial2
2011	31,982	1.43%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 2	Template:Steady 5th	Template:Partial2
2014	31,850	1.32%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 1	Template:Steady 5th	Template:Partial2
2017	30,580	1.18%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 2	Template:Decrease 7th	Template:N/A
2020	33,632	1.17%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:Increase 5th	Template:No2
2023	87,937	3.08%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 4	Template:Decrease 6th	Template:No2
Source: Electoral Commission

Leadership

Template:As of, the constitution of Te Pāti Māori states that it must have two leaders, that its co-leaders must be drawn from its MPs first, and that one must be female and one male.<ref name=":0" /> These requirements have been in place since at least 2013.<ref name=":1" />

The party's first leaders were Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples. In December 2012, Turia announced she would resign as party co-leader before the 2014 general election. Te Ururoa Flavell announced his interest in a leadership role, but as the Māori Party constitution required male and female co-leaders, he could not take Turia's place.<ref name=":1">"Ratana unveiling for Turia's successor? Template:Webarchive". The Dominion Post. 13 January 2013</ref> Shortly after this, in July 2013, Sharples resigned as co-leader, saying he would quit politics altogether come the next general election in 2014. He went on to say that "Our supporters deserve a unified party" which indicated that the leadership tension influenced his decision to resign as party co-leader.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Flavell replaced him as the party's male co-leader. In the 2014 general election, Marama Fox became the party's first list MP, and – as the party's only female MP – under the party rules automatically became female co-leader.

Following Rawiri Waititi's successful campaign for Waiariki at the 2020 New Zealand general election, he was confirmed as male co-leader, replacing John Tamihere, at a special general meeting of the Māori Party on 28 October.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Female co-leader						Male co-leader
	Name	Portrait	Term of Office		Parliamentary seat		Name	Portrait	Term of Office		Parliamentary seat
1	Tariana Turia	File:Tariana Turia 2011 (cropped).jpg	7 July 2004	September 2014	Te Tai Hauāuru	1	Pita Sharples	File:Pita Sharples 2012 (cropped).jpg	7 July 2004	13 July 2013	Tāmaki Makaurau (from 5 October 2005)
						2	Te Ururoa Flavell	File:Hon Te Ururoa Flavell, Te Ritorito 2017 (further crop - head).png	13 July 2013	July 2018	Waiariki (until 23 September 2017)
2	Marama Fox	File:2015 Portrait of Marama Fox 01 Cropped.jpg	September 2014	August 2018	List MP (until 23 September 2017)
Offices vacant 2018–2020
3	Debbie Ngarewa-Packer	File:Debbie Ngarewa-Packer Mar 2022 PANG (cropped).png	15 April 2020<ref name="scoop.co.nz" />	Incumbent	List MP (17 October 2020 – 14 October 2023) Te Tai Hauāuru (since 14 October 2023)	3	John Tamihere	File:John Tamihere May 2023 Green Left (cropped).png	15 April 2020<ref name="scoop.co.nz" />	28 October 2020	—
						4	Rawiri Waititi	File:Rawiri Waititi in May 2024.png	28 October 2020	Incumbent	Waiariki

The party also has a president:

	Name	Portrait	Term of office
1	Whatarangi Winiata		2004	2009
2	Pem Bird	File:Pem Bird MNZM (cropped).jpg	2010	2013
3	Naida Glavish	File:Naida Glavish DNZM (cropped).jpg	2013	2016
4	Tuku Morgan	File:Tukoroirangi Morgan UNDP Clark 2009.jpg	2016	2017
5	Che Wilson	File:Che Wilson 2012 (cropped).jpg	2018	2022
6	John Tamihere	File:John Tamihere May 2023 Green Left (cropped).png	2022	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• Māori politics
• Māori protest movement
• Mana Motuhake
• Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements

Further reading

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Official website

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