In a recent Tamaki by-election debate, Te Pāti Maori candidate Orini Kaipara and her Labour rival Peeni Henare revealed a striking and radical policy idea: a Māori-led supermarket chain aimed at giving Māori cheaper access to fruit and vegetables. Both candidates made it clear that their vision involves iwi-run supermarkets, explicitly designed to serve Māori communities first.
When asked about the immediate relief that could come from removing GST on fruit and vegetables, the Labour representative doubled down on a longer-term, separatist approach. “What we support is introducing more competition into the space,” Henare said.
“When we were last in power, we were working closely with iwi to introduce a third grocery provider into the market to allow our whānau to experience cheaper kai and to make sure that iwi are part of delivering the answer for our whānau.”
This is not about helping all New Zealanders access affordable food. It is about creating a system where Māori receive preferential treatment, effectively sidelining non-Māori. The so-called Kiwi kai supermarket chain represents a clear separatist agenda with racial undertones that treats access to basic necessities as a privilege for one group over the rest.
Kaipara, while also supporting Māori-led grocery initiatives, offered no concrete vision for how this policy would benefit all New Zealanders. The debate made it clear that Labour and its allies are now openly pursuing policies that prioritise one ethnicity over the wider population.
This by-election has exposed the true colours of these political radicals. It shows a vision of separatism under the guise of social welfare dominated by scripted performances rather than genuine leadership.
New Zealand does not need a supermarket chain run by iwi or any ethnic group. Grocery stores and supermarkets exist to provide all consumers with access to affordable food, not to segregate markets along racial lines…
