Expelled MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi files court action against Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere

Expelled MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is taking Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere to court, seeking an interim injunction.

Court documents show Kapa-Kingi has filed the application, to be heard by Justice Radich at 10am tomorrow in the Wellington High Court.

Kapa-Kingi did not respond to requests for comment from the Herald about legal action.

Tamihere has been contacted for comment.

It’s understood the injunction is related to Kapa-Kingi’s messy expulsion from Te Pāti Māori alongside MP Tākuta Ferris.

Ferris and Kapa-Kingi, both electorate MPs, are considered independent MPs in the House after the party voted to expel the pair last month for allegedly breaching Te Pāti Māori’s constitution and bringing the party into disrepute.

Since then, Kapa-Kingi has not stated whether or not she would launch legal action against Tamihere or the party, following an ugly split informed by Kapa-Kingi and Ferris’ view the party’s leadership needed replacing.

Ferris recently told the Herald he was not in favour of going to court, fearing it would only draw out the process.

The party is set to have its annual general meeting this weekend in Rotorua, where it is possible a motion of no confidence in Tamihere will be raised.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.