Te Pāti Māori’s National Council is facing mounting questions after it voted to suspend its Te Tai Tokerau MP and reset the electorate’s executive, following what it described as serious breaches of the party’s constitution, documents seen by Te Ao Māori News show.
Te Tai Tonga MP, Tākuta Ferris, has labelled the move as one of no integrity and expressed his disdain of the decision and of the leadership and is questioning whether the processes are in line with the constitution.
The whānau of suspended Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi also say they have engaged legal counsel, accusing Te Pāti Māori’s executive of “refusing to comply with their own legally binding constitution.”
In a social media post shared on Tuesday, Kapa-Kingi’s son, former party vice president Eru Kapa-Kingi, said they are getting legal advice.
“We have engaged legal counsel. 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,” he wrote.
A hui held last Thursday resulted in four resolutions, all carried by majority vote, confirming the suspension, directing a reset of the Te Tai Tokerau Electorate Executive, and instructing the National Executive to develop a formal process for implementing the decision.
According to minutes viewed by Te Ao News, the Council determined that the Te Tai Tokerau electorate was no longer functioning in accordance with the party’s Kawa (constitution) and requirements.
Concerns over public commentary and collective discipline
During the meeting, several electorates raised concerns that public commentary linked to the Te Tai Tokerau branch had been damaging to the party’s reputation and distracting from key kaupapa, including opposition to proposed changes to the Marine and Coastal Area Act.
While some representatives urged reconciliation, others supported firmer disciplinary measures, citing the need to protect the integrity of collective decision-making and the party’s Constitution.
The National Council reaffirmed its consensus-based approach, noting that once a majority decision is made, all members are expected to uphold it.
The meeting concluded that the current tensions are isolated to Te Tai Tokerau and not reflective of other electorates.
Resolutions passed
Four resolutions were carried by the National Council:
- To reset the Te Tai Tokerau Electorate Executive through a Special General Meeting.
- To confirm that the Te Tai Tokerau MP has seriously breached the party’s Kawa (Constitution).
- To suspend the Te Tai Tokerau MP.
- To instruct the National Executive to design and report back on the suspension process.
Each motion passed with five votes in favour and one abstention, which was Te Tai Tonga.
Te Tai Tokerau did not vote, and is understood that the Northern electorate executive was not notified of the meeting.
‘Kei te mamae haere te iwi Māori’ - MP’s back Mariameno Kapa-Kingi
Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris told Te Ao Māori News he supports Kapa-Kingi and believes proper process has not been followed.
“Kāore mātou mō te whakaae kua tika ngā tikanga, kāore mā te paku whakaae ki ngā kōrero mō Mariameno, he wahine pou ōna kaha i roto i ngā tau e rua kua taha ake nei. Ki te pātai mai koe ki a au ko wai i roto i te whare, i roto i aua tau e rua, kei te mārama ahau i reira a Meno,” Ferris said.
He said the party’s constitution requires both kaupapa and tikanga to be upheld, and that, in his view, those principles have not been reflected in how the matter has been handled.
“Kei reira i roto i te constitution e takoto ana, e mea ana ētahi kei te mau ki ngā tikanga o te constitution. Ahau taea au te pānui, kua pānui au, kāre au kite i te whakatinanatanga o ngā upoko matua o te constitution, arā ko te whakautanga o te kaupapa me te tikanga,” he said.
Ferris said the reaction across Te Tai Tokerau shows the level of hurt being felt.
“Āe, kei te mamae haere te iwi Māori, kei te mamae haere. Rongo au i ngā kōrero o te hunga rangatahi mō Mariameno, nō Te Tai Tokerau, e mea ana ko Mariameno te whaea o Te Tai Tokerau. Nō reira, kia kitea tō whaea e tūkinotia pēnei ana, kāore pai, me tō tātou mōhio ko Te Pāti Māori e ngana nei ki te hao i te rangatahi.”
Te Tai Tonga electorate executive abstained from voting on the resolutions and expressed a preference to prioritise reconciliation with Te Tai Tokerau.
The newly elected Te Pāti Māori MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, Oriini Kaipara, has also appeared to back the suspended Te Tai Tokerau MP in a lengthy Facebook post describing her as a “pou of Te Pāti Māori” and “a kuia my soul recognises and gravitates toward without effort.”
In the post, Kaipara reflected on the influence of kuia in Māori communities and said she stood in solidarity with Kapa-Kingi, writing that she “sees her, believes in her and supports her.” The message described the pair, along with Hauraki-Waikato MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, as a “three-headed female taniwha.”
However, the support expressed by Kaipara doesn’t appear to be shared by her electorate executive, who formally backed the National Council’s disciplinary resolutions.
What now?
Next steps for the suspension await the National Executive, which has been directed to develop and recommend the most appropriate process to implement the decision and report back to the National Council.
The National Executive includes the party president, the two co-vice presidents, and the two co-leaders. However, only one co-vice president remains after the resignation of Eru Kapa-Kingi.
The party’s secretary and treasurer, and its general manager, serve as members of the National Executive but without voting rights. All decisions made by the Executive must be ratified by the National Council at its next meeting.
Te Ao News understands the party may seek to meet with iwi leaders in Te Tai Tokerau before deciding any further steps regarding the suspended MP.
Senior members have indicated that maintaining respectful dialogue with iwi and community representatives will be essential before determining whether the suspension remains in place or leads to further action.
The party’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for December 7 in Rotorua, where the stoush with Te Tai Tokerau is expected to feature prominently, as well as the pushback from Te Tai Tonga.
The president and co-presidents will also be voted in.
Efforts are already underway to secure enough support either to retain the current president, John Tamihere, or elect a new one.
What a suspension could mean
The suspension does not remove the MP from Parliament.
It is an internal disciplinary measure within Te Pāti Māori, meaning the MP remains a sitting Member of Parliament and continues to hold the Te Tai Tokerau seat.
However, the decision could temporarily remove her from official party roles and decision-making, including participation in caucus, access to party resources, and the ability to speak on behalf of the party.
It also does not automatically affect her status in Parliament unless the party invokes the waka-jumping legislation or she chooses to resign.Either of those actions would vacate the seat and trigger a by-election.
The waka-jumping law, formally known as the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act, allows a party leader to notify the Speaker that an MP has distorted the proportionality of Parliament by leaving or being expelled from their party.
If the Speaker accepts that notice, the MP’s seat becomes vacant, prompting a by-election.
At present, Te Pāti Māori’s National Executive has been tasked with developing a process to implement the suspension, which could include consultation with iwi and members before determining next steps.
Now that these resolutions are public, any response or reaction by Mariameno Kapa-Kingi will likely be considered by the National Council.
If Te Pāti Māori suspends but does not expel her, she remains a Te Pāti Māori MP.
If the party formally expels her but does not invoke waka-jumping, she would remain in Parliament as an Independent MP.
‘Guided by our Kawa’ – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori has been approached for comment, but says it is following internal party processes.
“All proceedings are guided by our Kawa (Constitution), which was developed by the founders of our movement. We await the outcome of the Council’s proceedings and findings. No further comment will be made while these processes are underway,” a spokesperson said.
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has also been approached for comment.
As an MP, she is automatically part of the National Council but was not in attendance.
