Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Photo: RNZ
Turmoil in Te Pāti Māori has been bubbling for weeks and will likely come to a head at the party's annual general meeting next month.
The party was a smashing success last election, growing its caucus from two to six members and claiming all but one of the Māori seats.
It was a clear mandate that visibly gained momentum last year, when tens of thousands of people stood on Parliament's lawn to protest the Treaty Principles Bill.
The party appeared to have harnessed a powerful, pro-Māori movement, bringing both tangata whenua (Māori) and tangata tiriti (non-Māori who support Te Tiriti) together.
Now, the death of the party's "peacekeeper" and allegations of intimidation and financial mismanagement have exposed rifts and prompted concerns the movement so many had put their hope in is under pressure.
Routine attempts to contact the party's president, leadership and caucus with questions about these issues have not always elicited answers, and co-leader Rawiri Waititi has accused media of engaging in a "constant attack" on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Given the turmoil of the last few weeks, there will be a lot to discuss at Te Pāti Māori's annual general meeting in Rotorua on 7 December.
What's the latest?
Former Te Pāti Māori staffer, and son of the party's Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Eru Kapa-Kingi has engaged legal counsel, accusing Te Pāti Māori's executive of "refusing to comply with their own legally binding constitution".
"When the Māori Party executive refuses to engage with tikanga practices, and also refuses to comply with their own legally binding constitution, we have no options left, and we have nothing to hide," Eru Kapa-Kingi wrote on social media earlier this week.
"Want to also clarify... the problem is NOT with the whole of the Māori Party, the toxic decision making has been by the executive body (President/Secretary) and the two co-leaders. Changes need to be pushed and directed at that level."
This comes after the party's national council voted to suspend Mariameno Kapa-Kingi over what it described as serious breaches of the party's constitution.
The meeting had four resolutions: that the Te Tai Tokerau electorate was not functioning and needed a reset, that Mariameno Kapa-Kingi had seriously breached the party's constitution, that she be suspended and that the national executive work on a process to implement this suspension.
RNZ has seen meeting minutes that show four resolutions passed with the support of Tāmaki Makaurau, Hauraki-Waikato, Waiariki, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and Te Tai Hauāuru, with Te Tai Tonga abstaining.
It's clear not everyone is united in ousting Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and RNZ understands Te Tai Tonga has called for an immediate vote of no confidence in the party's president John Tamihere.
Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris has since told One News he supports Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.
"Meno has held herself well. She has shown great restraint. She has restrained others from taking action at times."
He did not support the motion to suspend her, he said.
"Well to me it holds no mana because the process that has been employed to arrive at the decision; it lacks integrity; it lacks any resemblance of the kaupapa that [the] party's underpinned by."
Ferris also said he wanted a vote of no confidence in the party's leadership.
"We aren't happy with the leadership. We aren't happy with the conduct. We think that it needs a full and open discussion and that's being withheld so we don't agree with that.
Te Pāti Māori's newest MP Oriini Kaipara's Tāmaki Makaurau electorate voted in favour of suspension, though Kaipara has since publicly backed Mariameno Kapa-Kingi on social media.
Waititi has told Te Karere, in te reo Māori, matters would be dealt with at the party's AGM.
"I would say, come to the annual general meeting, lay out your concerns, if that's what Te Tai Tonga wants, there's a process under the party's constitution.
"We are still resetting. Leave it to Te Pāti Māori to fix ourselves."
Iwi Chairs Forum calls for hui with Te Pāti Māori amid turmoil
The National Iwi Chairs Forum has requested to meet with Te Pāti Māori in a bid to resolve the party's internal challenges.
Seventy-five Iwi representatives met at Hopuhopu in Waikato this week, where a strategy to increase Māori participation in the 2026 General Election was confirmed.
"Meeting with Te Pāti Māori to help resolve internal challenges on a tikanga basis is a priority for ngā iwi katoa" said forum spokesperson Bayden Barber.
"The National Iwi Chairs Forum considers it necessary to focus political attention on the aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi as opposed to other political issues that in our view distract from that purpose," he said.
Te Ātiawa, one of the tangata whenua of the Parliament grounds, has offered to host the hui at one of its marae.
The hui is likely to take place after Te Tai Tokerau leaders have met with Te Pāti Māori.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
