Te Pāti Māori: Expelled MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi back in party after winning court case

Former Te Pati Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi speaks to media outside the High Court in Wellington in December last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa Kingi who was expelled last year amid party turmoil will be reinstated to the party after a winning a court case arguing the expulsion was unfair.

In a just-released decision, Justice Paul Radich said her suspension was unlawful “in the pure sense of that word” and breached “kawa”, the party’s protocols.

In a statement, Te Pāti Māori said it respected the court decision and “we will be moving forward with repatriating of Mariameno Kapa-Kingi back into the pāti”.

Previously, the party claimed Kapa-Kingi’s expulsion was prompted by claims she had brought the party into disrepute by misusing funds.

The MP for Te Tai Tokerau took the issue to court, seeking an interim reinstatement claiming the expulsion process breached the party’s constitution.

MP Tākuta Ferris, who represents the South Island electorate Te Tai Tonga, was also expelled over claims of serious misconduct, marking the culmination of months of turmoil and allegations against the party’s leadership which ultimately split the party in two.

The disagreements between different factions of the party spilled out into the public through social media videos, comments to media and the party emailing a raft of documents to members containing serious allegations against Kapa-Kingi’s son, the high-profile activist and former party ally, Eru Kapa-Kingi.

Kapa-Kingi has contested the party’s claims about her conduct. She said she was reluctant to take legal action but was ultimately “glad to have had one’s day in court”.

In February, a lawyer for party president John Tamihere revealed the party had offered to redo the vote regarding Kapa-Kingi’s membership prior to the issue going to court.

Davey Salmon, KC, told reporters gathered outside the High Court that the offer was declined.

More to come ...

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.