Political divorces are never pretty, and the split between Te Pāti Māori and Toitū Te Tiriti is proving no exception. What once looked like a partnership built on shared kaupapa has unravelled into a very public separation, and it’s Te Pāti Māori who may come out looking the worse for wear.
Toitū Te Tiriti’s announcement that it was cutting formal ties with Te Pāti Māori sent shockwaves through the political landscape. This wasn’t a half-hearted statement of “agreeing to disagree” - it was a blunt declaration that the relationship no longer served its purpose. Concerns about leadership, accountability, and the concentration of power at the top were laid bare.
In the world of Māori politics, unity matters. To lose one of your closest allies so openly is more than just awkward - it’s destabilising. It tells voters and critics alike that something inside Te Pāti Māori isn’t working.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s demotion from her position as party whip has become a flashpoint, particularly for her son, MP Eru Kapa-Kingi. He probably insist this isn’t about family ties - but history shows he doesn’t take insults to his mother lightly.
This brings back memories of Eru’s fiery clash with ACT leader David Seymour, when he challenged Seymour to a fight over a throwaway insult about his mum. That kind of personal-meets-political tension is entertaining for the public, but it also highlights where emotions run hot and discipline is thin.
Eru Kapa-King calls out David Seymour
Meet Eru - the son of racist Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and poster boy for the "Haka vs ACT" movement, handpicked by none other than John Tamihere and the Māori Party to front the protest against ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill.
When a party is in the middle of a messy break-up with its key partner, having a public row over internal demotions only fuels the perception that it’s in chaos.
As if the divorce wasn’t enough, Te Pāti Māori also has to manage the ongoing fallout from MP Tākuta Ferris. His repeated outbursts about race and separatism have been condemned across the political spectrum, and every time he opens his mouth the party seems to take another hit.
For a party trying to recover credibility in the wake of a public split, Ferris is an ongoing liability - and one that shows no sign of quieting down. I have written a piece on Ferris, which is scheduled to publish on Sunday.
The big question is whether Te Pāti Māori can maintain its “mana” through all of this. I’d be one to argue it never had much to begin with, but for those who believed in the kaupapa, this feels like betrayal. If you can’t hold your alliances together, if you can’t keep your internal disputes out of the headlines, what message does that send to the people you claim to represent?
Divorces are often about more than one issue - they’re about years of accumulated frustration. That’s the story here too. Toitū Te Tiriti walked away not just because of one disagreement, but because it no longer trusted the structure or leadership of Te Pāti Māori. That loss of faith will be hard to undo.
There’s no polite way to put it but Te Pāti Māori are in the shit, or kaka as they may say. Losing Toitū Te Tiriti is like losing the other half of your support system. Throw in the family drama and Ferris’ constant flare-ups, and it looks less like a united movement and more like a house divided.
For political observers, it’s compelling theatre. For the party, it’s a fight for survival.
Fantastic news! The best thing I've read all year. Aside from your upcoming article, where can I read more on this. It's the first I've heard about it.
Oh boy, TPM antics have been a train-wreck waiting to happen this whole political cycle and it seems that here it is. I await developments with great interest.