How quickly politics can change. Heading into Waitangi weekend with its surrounding discourse, the politics of the Māori electorate has been reset. The Māori electorate voted for a refreshed, but long-standing, vanguard. Māori Party out, Labour Māori caucus in.
The reign of a Māori inner power bloc has returned.
This time the Labour Māori caucus has returned in strength. One is the deputy leader, another four are ministers, two are chairs of select committees and one is the junior whip. Leveraging different parts of the machinery of government cannot be underestimated.
No doubt the expectations raised by the Māori Party required this type of counter-response. On the other hand, the Māori and Mana parties have to come back stronger and unified to have any chance of contesting this space again.
Labour has hit the ground running. Increase in minimum wage, extension of paid parental leave, ban on overseas speculators, free tertiary education and the $5b plan to reduce child poverty. Policies focusing on employment, housing, education, child-poverty such as these all speak to the beating heart of the Māori electorate—it's all about whānau.
The Māori Labour caucus however, is not without its challenges. There are other inner and larger power blocs within Labour that will keep the Maori caucus in check. The wider party membership and the unions have major sway, especially when it comes to the leadership of the party.