Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. Photo / Erica Sinclair
Waikato police have responded to claims made by Te Pāti Māori about an alleged break-in at candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke’s home and “do not believe that the incidents have been racially motivated” or that it constitutes a home invasion.
Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere described the police investigation as a “whitewash” and will take civil action against the trespasser after the election.
“Thereby opening up the police inquiry to third-party scrutiny,” he told the Herald. “A trespass notice has been issued ... So he illegally entered the property.”
Tamihere added when talking to Newstalk ZB this evening, “that’s why the police are not widely trusted in our communities.”
“We can only tell them [the police] what happened. They can then listen to what the white male said and they prefer the white male story of events.
“So you can believe what you believe. We definitely believe our truth.”
Tamihere earlier told the Herald a Waikato man allegedly opened Maipi-Clarke’s front gate yesterday, walked up to the front door and walked into her house. He claimed the man had links to the National Party.
In a statement, the National Party said an elderly member of the National Party has had “grossly exaggerated allegations made about them” by Te Pāti Māori.
“It is incredibly disappointing and upsetting for this individual to be dragged into a political stunt like this.”
The elderly man, identified as Graeme Gunn by Newshub, also said the situation is a misunderstanding.
“No way would I ever do anything to harm her. I don’t care who I vote for, I still wish her the best of luck,” Gunn told Newshub.
The National Party said Gunn recently spoke to Maipi-Clarke at a local meet the candidates.
“At the meeting, they spoke about where she lived as they were both locals. Upon seeing a poll result this week showing Maipi-Clarke closely behind the incumbent, this individual visited her home with the intention of congratulating her and wishing her all the best for her campaign,” the National Party said.
“The individual was invited inside but she was not available so they returned home.”
Gunn told Newshub he hoped Maipi-Clarke would be elected to Parliament, making the 21-year-old our youngest MP.
“I thought she presented herself well [at a public meeting] and wanted to wish her all the best, being such a young person and getting into politics - especially being a Māori girl.
“I’d love her to get into Parliament because those are the sort of people you want - young people with ideas.”
Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur confirmed police have issued a trespass notice to the Huntly man, as earlier reported by the Herald, after they entered the property and was asked to leave.
Harpur said the notice was issued after a report was received by police about 10.20am yesterday.
The National Party said the man “is bemused and disappointed by the whole situation”.
Harpur said police have also established that an election hoarding was stolen from the property on September 25, “but note this is in the context of several other hoardings in the area, from a range of political parties, being damaged or defaced”.
Police also said the incident had been incorrectly described as a ram raid and it should be more correctly referred to as a theft. Te Pāti Māori had also described the incident as a home invasion.
“At this stage, no further line of enquiry is available and this matter has been filed,” Harpur said.
Three other incidents were reported by residents of the property on September 25, Harpur said.
“Police have followed up on reports of a suspicious vehicle. However, at this stage, we do not believe this vehicle is linked to any intentions at the property,” the detective said.
Te Pāti Māori also said a threatening note had been left at Maipi-Clarke’s home.
Police responded to the report of an alleged burglary and threatening note by saying “these reports have been investigated and police have been unable to establish any criminality, although enquiries are ongoing”.
“During the period in which the reports have been made, police have visited the property on several occasions to investigate the reports and provide reassurance. Staff have offered crime prevention and safety advice to those occupants,” Harpur said.
“Police do not believe that the incidents have been racially motivated or co-ordinated. While we acknowledge that the incidents in which people have come on to the property will have been unsettling, we do not believe these constitute a home invasion-style entry into the house.”
Harpur said the “key focus” for police over the election period is to maintain law and order and to ensure the right to freedom of expression is protected.
“That includes ensuring candidates and their teams feel safe and confident to carry out their work in the lead-up to the election.
“As part of this work, police at a national level are regularly monitoring the campaigning of candidates, and any consideration for a policing presence or action is made on a case-by-case basis.”
Harpur said all reports of threats are taken seriously and followed up with enforcement action if required.
Act leader David Seymour said Te Pāti Māori “has played fast and loose with the truth in their characterisation of an alleged home invasion”.
“They should apologise to all the genuine victims of serious crimes for making misleading criminal claims so they can play the victim.
“It instead sounds like they were the victim of an election hoarding theft, as have many other parties in the area.
“They have misled the people of New Zealand so they can smear their political rivals on the election campaign. This is politics at its lowest ebb.”