These debates are not about egos and rolling out pre-prepared talking points. They’re about people and values. They’re conversations about what is the best path forward, how we make progress towards common goals – rather than vilifying the other side and accusing them of wanting to take the country to hell in a handcart.
In the Māori electorate debates, you get a real sense of who the candidates are as people. It’s not all robotic lines, there’s even some pretty good jokes, and it’s respectful and honest.
Maybe it helps that half the candidates are related to each other. Go too hard, be too disrespectful – and you’ll have the aunties on the phone pulling you into line.
There doesn’t seem to be that kind of accountability in wider politics. Look at National’s tax plan. Everyone knows it’s a dog. Economists say everything from the plan for foreigners to buy $20b worth of our houses to the plan to cut billions from public services but somehow not affect the “front line” is fanciful. A majority of voters say it doesn’t add up, according to a new poll. Yet, National has no problem standing up and claiming black is white – insisting that not only does their plan make sense, but voters trust them on it – despite the evidence.
That kind of thing doesn’t fly at the debates on the marae. Sure, candidates might put up ideas that are wishful thinking in a political landscape dominated by two centrist parties, but integrity is what’s prized above all by voters.
At Hauraki-Waikato, Labour’s Nanaia Mahuta was confronted with a room dominated by Te Pāti Māori supporters but they gave her a fair hearing, and she explained how she had fought for the people of the electorate and why she believes she can achieve more as a Labour MP. By the end of the night, she had won over many of those Te Pāti Māori supporters.
At the same debate, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, all of 20 years of age, gave one of the best candidate performances I have seen in many years.
In respect to Meka Whaitiri, a lot of us had questions about her when she suddenly abandoned Labour for Te Pāti Māori. But she has had her chance to explain herself and she’s done so. While she let Labour down, she hasn’t betrayed her values. It’s a question of how best to achieve outcomes. Whaitiri feels it’s better to be pulling the conversation along with Te Pāti Māori. Labour’s Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and other Labour Māori candidates, many of whom have been encouraged into Labour by Willie Jackson, feel they can achieve more change working within a major party that shares their core values. Neither of these views are wrong and both can be held with integrity.
It is good National is standing in a couple of the Māori electorates. Hinurewa te Hau has impressed me in Tāmaki Makaurau with good values-driven korero. Hopefully, she can bring those values to National’s caucus. I have big hopes for Tama Potaka, too, although he’ll need to do better than his response to the fact most taxpayers will only get $4 a week in tax cuts from National that it’ll buy “a couple of protein bars”. Claiming the Clean Car Discount on his new car while campaigning to scrap the policy isn’t the integrity we’re looking for, either.
The Māori way of politics has a lot to teach the wider political discourse in Aotearoa. The best leaders are those who don’t want power for power’s sake and are willing to do anything, say anything, promise any nonsense to get it.
At its best, Māori politics says we all want the same things – good lives for the people, a healthy environment, public services and infrastructure that’s there when we need it – and the question is how best to get there. That’s an approach all political parties can benefit from adopting.
Finally, can I say to Chris Luxon, please sit for an interview with Mihingarangi Forbes and Moana Maniapoto - Maori need to know if you really support the aspirations of katoa - us all.
Shane Te Pou (Ngāi Tūhoe) is a commentator, blogger and former Labour Party activist.
