Te Pāti Māori’s internal tensions: Why party disputes are not unusual

Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi dawn ceremony at Te Rerenga Wairau, in November last year. Photo / Peter de Graaf

THREE KEY FACTS

• Despite internal tensions. Te Pāti Māori won six of the seven Māori electorates in 2023, representing more than 85% of voters on the Māori roll.
• The party defeated Labour in the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, showing strong support and organisation.
• Te Pāti Māori faces scrutiny after Takuta Ferris’ posts and removing Mariameno Kapa-Kingi as whip.

The past few weeks have placed Te Pāti Māori under scrutiny, following Takuta Ferris’ social media posts and the decision to remove Mariameno Kapa-Kingi as party whip.

These events have led to commentary about instability within the party, but such dynamics are far from unusual in parliamentary politics.

All political parties experience internal tensions. The Greens have had their own disputes over candidates and policy direction. National has cycled through leaders in times of difficulty. New Zealand First has long been associated with internal divisions; yet, its leader, Winston Peters, has served as Deputy Prime Minister four times: first under Jim Bolger, then under Jenny Shipley, later under Jacinda Ardern, and now under Christopher Luxon.

Friction is inherent to party politics and does not automatically signal dysfunction.

Recent electoral outcomes reinforce this point.

In the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, Te Pāti Māori secured a clear victory over Labour, demonstrating its continuing organisational strength and voter support. At the 2023 general election, it won six of the seven Māori electorates, representing more than 85% of Māori voters on the Māori roll. This was a historic achievement and confirms Te Pāti Māori’s position as a key voice for Māori in Parliament.

At the same time, Māori political opinion is far from uniform. Many Māori continue to give their party vote to Labour, while others support the Greens, National, or New Zealand First. No single party represents the totality of Māori views, which is why parties seeking Māori support must be broad in their outlook and able to engage in internal debate.

Contestation within a party should not necessarily be seen as weakness but as a reflection of the diversity of the Māori electorate itself.

This context is important when comparing Te Pāti Māori with movements such as Toitū te Tiriti. The latter is a passionate social movement that expresses a strand of Māori activism, but it does not have a democratic mandate.

Te Pāti Māori, by contrast, derives its authority from the people who voted it into Parliament. Its six seats on the Māori roll provide it with responsibilities as well as influence, placing it in a different category and giving it a clear mandate.

The task facing Te Pāti Māori is therefore complex. It must navigate the Westminster parliamentary system, with its entrenched rules and structures, while maintaining fidelity to tikanga and kaupapa Māori values. That balance is not easy, but it is the reality of Māori politics today.

The future of Te Pāti Māori will depend not only on how it manages immediate controversies, but also on whether it can sustain its role as a representative of diverse Māori interests in Parliament. Its recent successes indicate significant momentum, but they also heighten expectations.

Māori voters have given the party a historic mandate, and with that mandate comes the responsibility to operate effectively within both Māori and parliamentary frameworks.

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Dr Areti Metuamate (Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Hauā) is a political scientist and Master of Ormond College at the University of Melbourne.

Catch up on the debates that dominated the week by signing up to our Opinion newsletter - a weekly round-up of our best commentary.