Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has filed an application for an interim injunction against Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere, with the case set to be heard in the High Court tomorrow.
While court documents have not yet been released, the requested injunction is understood to relate to Te Pāti Māori’s recent disciplinary processes and Kapa-Kingi’s expulsion.
The expulsion has prompted significant backlash in Te Tai Tokerau, where local leaders have been calling for clarity around the party’s governance and internal decision-making.
Tensions escalated further last week when Te Pāti Māori declined an invitation from Te Rūnanga ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi to attend a hui in Kaikohe aimed at addressing the unrest, citing these legal matters now before the court.
Depending on the relief sought, tomorrow’s hearing could test the legality of decisions made by the party’s national executive.
The hearing is expected to be procedural with substantive hearings anticipated later in the year.
Expelled Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris is not part of the proceedings.
Te Pāti Māori and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi have been approached for comment but are unable to comment while the matter is before the court.
