Maori Party hiding in from N.Z. public

Yesterday marked 7 months to the 7 November New Zealand general election, an event that could define New Zealand for decades to come. It is an election in a year where New Zealand’s preparedness for international crises is being tested. With the worst possibly still to come, one of the Parliament parties seems to have all but disappeared from the spotlight.

Where is the Maori Party? What are Deborah Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi doing? Why do they need former Labour Party M.P. and Minister of the Crown, John Tamihere as a third leader?

I try to have respect for all of the parties in Parliament, however much my political radar might warn me to steer well clear. However, the absence of the party from headlines when so much is happening and, so much could be potentially going to happen in the future, is, well… disturbing. It is not because I am a voter or supporter of them, or their policies. It is disturbing because the party receives taxpayer support just like all of the other parties in Parliament.

I understand that they have had a rough time. All political parties occasionally have periods where they appear to be in some kind of internal civil war. Labour had it in the 1990’s before Helen Clark became Prime Minister. National had it during the early years of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, especially when her popularity and support skyrocketed following the successful shutting down of COVID-19 Alpha and Delta variants – it was Omicron that made the death toll blow out from double digits into triple and then quadruple digits across 2022-23.

In this period of internal strife, were allegations of financial misuse of Parliamentary funds, threats made by members and an inflammatory social media post. Members accused Party President John Tamihere of being a dictator, holding the Presidency, the Chief Executive position in the Waipareira Trust and Chief Executive of Whanau Ora, which distributes public money. A failed vote on the behaviour of two Members of Parliament, was run with only a fraction of the 36 representatives needed for a constitutional vote actually casting ballots. They were kicked out, and promised to fight their expulsion from Parliament, further deepening an already problematic situation.

I understand that prior to their recent internal ructions that they were heavily penalised by Speaker of the House, Hon. Gerry Brownlee for the protest against the Treaty Principles Bill led by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clark. The protest, however noisy it might have been, and out of time with proceedings in the House was – at the end of the day – a perfectly natural response to a motion to proceed with a Bill of Parliament that sought to directly undermine the Treaty of Waitangi. It was a Bill of Parliament that was known to be potentially inflammatory. Thus, this was as much a warning of how fiery the debate could become as a direct challenge to the authority of the Speaker.

The purge of the two M.P.’s failed to end the infighting, but it did supply the media with a steady stream of headlines.

Since the beginning of the year? Silence. Silence at a time when this Government has never looked more out of tune with New Zealand and global events going on around it. Silence at a time when other parties inside and outside Parliament are ramping up their attempts for public air time in preparation for the coming election campaign.

Perhaps it is because they lost a court case brought against them by one of the expelled M.P.’s, who has been reinstated to the Party, which is now being made to eat humble pie. And that is not the only thing that should concern the Maori Party. Outgoing Labour M.P. and former Assistant Speaker Adam Rurawhe sounded what for the Maori Party should seem an ominous warning about discontent among Maori across the country.

I am not a voter or supporter of them, but I do wonder nevertheless….

Where art thou, Maori Party?