John Tamihere calls for electoral law changes amid funding investigation

John Tamihere. Photo / Supplied

Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere has acknowledged donations made by charities he runs to his own political campaigns are being investigated by the charities regulator.

But he says any adverse finding - if that is the result - would be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court.

And he says electoral laws should be changed so all funds channelled to political parties are fully disclosed.

Tamihere - while extremely critical of the content and timing of a Herald report this morning - has confirmed Waipareira paid $385,307 in no-interest, related-party loans to fund both his 2019 campaign for Auckland mayor, and the 2020 general election where he stood as candidate and co-leader for Te Pāti Māori.

The National Urban Māori Authority (NUMA), which shares a chief executive with Waipareira, is reported to have paid $82,695 over the same period in "sponsorship payments" to further Tamihere's political campaigns.

"When I was elected as the Tāmaki Makaurau candidate for the Te Pāti Māori in 2020, our leadership determined that under no circumstances would we launder money through side trusts, foundations or auctions," Tamihere said in a statement sent to the Herald today and subsequently posted on social media.

"In addition, we would not take money from foreign interests. We were on a journey to liberate our people's right to participate in the political process and to do that we needed to be honest and upfront about funding our right to our voice in the political process.

"Accordingly everything the New Zealand Herald has printed is correct in regard to money because we disclosed everything in our audited financial statements. There is no cover-up or attempt to be covert or dishonest.

"Readers of the article published by Mr Nippert in the Herald could easily be swayed to that view. This story played out in the middle of the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral where the NZ Herald, on September 16, gave me until 2.30pm that day to respond to allegations that somehow what and how we had funded our political ambitions was somehow wrong in a free democracy.

"I wrote back on that date ... I asked that are they alleging illegality on my part, the part of the National Urban Māori Authority or the part of Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust. I asked that they particularise the allegations because in joining a number of dots you are purposely misleading the public."

The Herald's editor Murray Kirkness said he rejected any suggestion the report was misleading to the public or that it or its timing was racially motivated.

"This morning's report is a factual piece covering an investigation by the relevant regulator into charities that provided funds for political campaigns, which was published as soon as we were in a position to do so, and which relates to a matter which is clearly in the public interest," Kirkness said.

This morning's Herald report quoted Charities Services general manager Natasha Weight saying: "Charities can express support for a particular policy of a political party that is important to their charitable purpose. However, a charity must not support or oppose a political party or candidate. This includes making a donation to a political party or a candidate's election campaign, endorsing a party or candidate, or allowing a party or candidate to use a charity's resources."

Weight said the matter had been under investigation since 2019 - when Tamihere disclosed a $100,000 donation from Waipareira towards his failed mayoral run - and it was subject to "regulatory processes" so she was not able to comment further.

Charities' involvement in politics is a vexed legal issue. Charities Services has previously taken legal action to deregister entities it believed were conducting political activities that did not have charitable purposes.

Tamihere said today that "discussions" with Charities Services were ongoing, but if the regulator found against Waipareira or NUMA it would be challenged.

"And should the Charities Commission find against us, of course we will litigate this because we have a right to overtly and openly stand up in a free democracy for our indigenous, political voice," he said.

Tamihere, speaking as president of Te Pāti Māori on social media, said he demanded electoral laws change "so all funds channelled to political parties are fully disclosed as we have. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. This is the hallmark of a just society and an open democracy".

"It is a sad day for democracy in Aotearoa when Māori get demonised for being honest in publicly ensuring that every cent spent to advance the Te Pāti Māori, or Māori causes by Māori people is somehow deemed illegal or unworthy," he said in his statement.

"... Our case can be distinguished on its facts in regard to a landmark decision against Greenpeace. That litigation has yet to be heard because a decision has yet to be made that would trigger us contesting it ...

"Māori want a fair and just go, not to be demonised for being honest and upfront."