Despite the turmoil that Te Pāti Māori has faced in recent months, party president John Tamihere remains optimistic.
“It’s not untoward where political parties have dissension and difficulty. It’s a matter of growing through that, and it’s where we are at the moment,” Tamihere told Te Ao Māori News.
With the general election fast approaching, the party is getting ready to move forward with its MPs and candidates.
It currently holds five out of the seven Māori electorates, with Ikaroa-Rāwhiti being held by Labour’s Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and Te Tai Tonga being held by former Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris.
Tamihere knows most of the MPs will be fighting for their seat in this year, besides Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, who was expelled from the party late 2025, but was then reinstated in early 2026.
“In Te Tai Tokerau, we’re still wanting to know what Mariameno wants to do. We’ve received her back into the party to abide by the decision of the [High] Court. The gift of understanding what’s going on in Te Tai Tokerau is not mine at the moment; it’s incumbent on her.”
The one seat that has never been in possession of Te Pāti Māori is Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, which has been Labour’s since the electorate was formed.
Tamihere said he can’t help but be impressed with the East Coast candidate, Haley Maxwell.
“She won a very hotly contested candidacy and has been on the road ever since, and she has formidable support up and down the electorate and it’s growing.
“Anything can happen in that seat. It’s not a pushover, but Cushla can’t take it for granted forever.”
The party’s president still has faith in his co-leaders, Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
“Well, if it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t be a Te Pāti Māori.
“Debbie and Rawiri built the brand out of nothing between 2020 and 2023,” he said.
Labour and Green Party have been eyeing up the seats currently being held by Te Pāti Māori, with them enlisting some big names like Tania Waikato, Kerrin Leoni, and Kingi Kiriona.
“You can’t have a change of government unless Te Pāti Māori’s MPs are there. This is just the mathematical fact,” said Tamihere.
“So a vote for Labour or a vote for the Greens is a vote for New Zealand First.”
Watch more from the interview above.
