Mariameno Kapa-Kingi launches her Te Tai Tokerau Party with a press conference in Whangārei. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi launches her Te Tai Tokerau Party with a press conference in Whangārei. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya
Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi says her new political direction is about enduring change – not just for the next election but for the next 30 years.
Kapa-Kingi formally launched the Te Tai Tokerau Party, a new political movement she said is grounded in local leadership and long-term changefor Māori communities.
The launch follows her split from Te Pāti Māori, which last year expelled Kapa-Kingi and Te Tai Tonga MP Takuta Ferris from the party.
“This is mana motuhake [self-determination] in action and mana mokopuna [the power of the younger generation] at heart.
“This is a party for people across Aotearoa who believe politics must be closer to the communities it serves.”
Kapa-Kingi said the party aimed to challenge “one-size-fits-all politics”, instead building political power from the ground up through hapū, iwi and local communities.
The new party is yet to release its formal policy platform or leadership structure, although Kapa-Kingi confirmed discussions were underway about whether to stand candidates outside Te Tai Tokerau.
She said priorities would centre around housing, whānau wellbeing, education and stronger local communities, with formal policies set to be announced in coming weeks.
Nearly 200 people signed up as financial members within the first 24 hours of the announcement.
Political parties in New Zealand require at least 500 financial members to register officially for an election.
“Feedback has been phenomenal in Te Tai Tokerau and nationally. The idea of Te Tai Tokerau standing up in this way has really touched people,” Kapa-Kingi said. “It’s encouraging.”
She acknowledged concerns the new party may split the Māori vote, giving another party room to take Māori seats.
“What I would say is that Māori politics has always been quite a dynamic space. There’s not one way in which we do this stuff. I would say that unity doesn’t require conformity. Unity is not about sameness.”
Kapa-Kingi said the focus was on creating enduring change for future generations.
“The changes we make now are not just about now. If you want to make enduring change, you have to think about the next three to the next 30 years.
“The way you change a future is by designing it yourself, particularly here, and there are other indigenous models that have done exactly that.”
Her son Eru Kapa-Kingi was at the launch, describing the occasion as a story of resilience that carried a deep meaning for their whānau.
Eru Kapa-Kingi was among those supporting the launch of Te Tai Tokerau party. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya
“It’s a proud moment. I think there’s a story of resilience behind it that is inspiring and that as a son, but also as a father to my mum’s mokopuna as well, they will grow up and see that story of resilience and learn from it.”
Eru said the journey was exciting but would come with bumps in the road.
“I think it’s an exciting way of challenging how we normally do politics at a central level and relocalising political power and using what is usually used at a national, centralised scale in a local way.”
He clarified he was “Mariameno’s son and nothing else” and while he would always be in her corner, he was keeping a distance from day-to-day political involvement.
“I’m very much at a distance. I have to protect my own political advocacy and my roles as a political educator and a Tiriti educator, which has been my bread-and-butter work for years now.”
