Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Te Pāti Māori ‘a long way away’ from Government amid Toitū Te Tiriti split

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins (left) and Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere. Toitū Te Tiriti spokesman Eru Kapa-Kingi has claimed Te Pāti Māori has a "problematic" leadership style which amounted to "effectively a dictatorship model". Photo / NZME

Labour leader Chris Hipkins believes Te Pāti Māori appears to be a “long way away” from being ready for a role in Government as claims about the party’s culture spread.

Protest movement Toitū Te Tiriti, largely responsible for last year’s nationwide hīkoi to Parliament that drew tens of thousands of protesters, today announced it was distancing itself from Te Pāti Māori, with spokesman Eru Kapa-Kingi seeking to clarify that Toitū Te Tiriti was not a lobby group for the party.

Kapa-Kingi, son of Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and a former party vice-president, claimed Te Pāti Māori had a “problematic” leadership style which amounted to “effectively a dictatorship model”, as reported by Te Ao Māori News.

He also alleged the party hadn’t honoured some of its constitutional commitments, such as holding scheduled party meetings.

In a statement, Te Pāti Māori rejected allegations its constitution hadn’t been observed and noted no formal complaints had been laid through its disputes process.

“Eru Kapa-Kingi has been a valued member of Te Pāti Māori, serving as Vice President Tāne until March of this year before resigning to focus on his whānau and the Toitū movement,” the party said.

“We acknowledge his contributions and remain open to constructive engagement, while also ensuring that the public record reflects accuracy.”

The statement also said the party would be “sharing our reset and our vision for the path ahead” next week.

Speculation about the party’s instability had grown since Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was suddenly demoted from the party’s whip position last month, replaced by co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is yet to outline which parties he could work with in Government. Photo / Dean Purcell

Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris has also come under fire over criticising Labour for allowing non-Māori to help campaign in its failed bid to win the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, won by Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara.

According to recent opinion polling, Labour would need support from both the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori to form a Government, presuming none of the three parties in Government supported Labour.

However, Hipkins has remained quiet on which parties Labour would accept working with in Government, saying he would establish that closer to next year’s election.

Speaking to media today, the Labour leader said Te Pāti Māori had some “internal issues of their own to work through” before the two parties could discuss the potential of working in Government together.

“They look like they’re quite a long way away from being ready to play a constructive role in any future Government,” Hipkins said.

“They need to sort themselves out.”

Te Pāti Māori’s statement did not address Hipkins’ comments.

Hipkins wouldn’t be drawn on whether today’s allegations would influence his party’s position on working with Te Pāti Māori.

“I’m not going to make those calls based on the ups and downs of every news cycle; I am going to make that call closer to the election.

“We’ll do that in a very considered way where we set out who we can work with and who we can’t, and where we think the areas that we have in common are and where we think the areas are [where] we won’t be able to find common ground.”

Hipkins did state Ferris’ commentary about Labour’s byelection staff made him “wholly unsuitable for any kind of leadership role in Government”.

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.