Te Tai Tonga candidates found themselves in the shadow of Tākuta Ferris’ expulsion from Te Pāti Māori, during the opening salvos of Whakaata Maori’s first Whakatau 2026 debate tonight.
It was moderated by political journalist Maiki Sherman and broadcaster Julian Wilcox in Wellington.
Poll puts Ramsden in the lead
It was Labour’s Mananui Ramsden who was the first under the crosshairs.
He has a clear lead in the Whakaata Māori-Curia poll released this morning.
Sherman asking him if he believed his lead was a “vote for you or is this vote simply punishing Tākuta Ferris and the infighting of Te Pāti Māori?”
But the political novice wasn’t drawn.
He could afford to be magnanimous because his lead is double that of the incumbent Tākuta Ferris.
“At the moment here putting up my hand, humbly walking around our communities kanohi ki te kanohi, kanohi kitea haere huri rauna i te motu,” Ramsden said.
Ferris is running last in that poll, pulling in 15 per cent of support from participants.
Asked if he was surprised if he wasn’t polling higher, the independent candidate fired his own shot, to laughter from the crowd.
“Oh well, given where the poll came from ... I’m you know ... we’re not too worried about it, seriously.”
“The support is as strong if not stronger than it has ever been so haere tonu.”
Candidates push back
Te Pāti Māori’s candidate Lisa Marie Murch also came under pressure given she has replaced Ferris in the party.
She was asked why her poll number wasn’t better given the party had asked voters solely for the electorate tick.
But she held her ground too.
“We are going for the candidate vote only that’s all we want because we need to change this government ...and there’s only one way to do that and I’m the only person who can because no one else can create an overhang to get this government out.”
In a rare show of solidarity across the debate all three trailing candidates - Ferris, Murch and the Green’s Lisa Te Morenga were united in how much they disliked the poll.
Sherman told the crowd the poll had been independently reviewed and had sound methodology.
Waitangi Tribunal in the spotlight
As the debate went on candidates couldn’t stop themselves from side-eyes and face-pulling but there were few really spicy moments.
However, the future of the Waitangi Tribunal did draw fire. It’s now firmly in the political spotlight - given New Zealand First and ACT both want to abolish it.
Green candidate Lisa Te Morenga challenged Labour on the party’s commitment to the Waitangi Tribunal.
That was immediately after Ramsden had said the party would honour it.
Te Morenga spoke over him:
“You’re not very strongly committed to it are you?”
“Says who?” Ramsden bit back.
“Says your policies,” Te Morenga said.
“The Green Party will commit to funding the Waitangi Tribunal and making its recommendations binding. Labour has said it will not do this,” she said.
Cost of living and energy promises
For the most part Ramsden was composed although he might get a call from the Labour leader Chris Hipkins tomorrow.
All candidates were asked about the cost of living and energy initiatives. Ramsden, a little excited said come November 8, the day after the election, households should be able to “plugin and play” systems linked to his party’s Solar Saver policy.
“Aim big, hit big,” he said.
Sherman asked Ramsden “does your leader know you’re making promises to deliver on November 8?”
Undeterred he said he was there “to hold it down for Te Tai Tonga.”
After the debate Victoria University’s political analyst Peter Adds said Doc won the debate, with “cogent” answers - and that surprised him given his recent troubles in Te Pāti Māori.
“His fluidity tonight... shone through ... I think that’s probably because he’s spent three years in parliament.”
Next up Te Tai Hauāuru candidates set to face the debate tomorrow evening at 7PM.
