Te Pāti Māori’s hypocrisy on electoral roll while dodging their own financial statements

Te Pāti Māori has filed a case in the High Court claiming that people have been removed from the electoral roll or shifted off the Māori electoral roll. It’s a serious allegation, one that deserves scrutiny, but while they’re quick to run to court over alleged voter suppression, they haven’t been nearly as swift when it comes to filing their own financial returns

.The Electoral Commission has said there are no technical problems with the rolls and those who can’t find their details may not be entering the correct information or may be on the dormant roll, which applies to those who haven’t communicated with the Electoral Commission for three years.

ACT Leader David Seymour summed it up perfectly with a sharp tweet: “Anyone know if they’ve filed their own financial statements yet?” It’s a valid question, and one that Te Pāti Māori has so far refused to answer.

The law requires political parties to file their annual returns. Most parties have done so. Te Pāti Māori hasn’t. They are now a long time overdue. If you’re going to accuse the Electoral Commission of disenfranchising voters, the very least you can do is follow the same electoral rules as everyone else.

It’s hypocrisy of the highest order. They demand transparency from the system while offering none themselves. The message from Te Pāti Māori seems to be that rules are for everyone else.

You don’t get to hikoi into the High Court with accusations of wrongdoing when your own books are still hidden from public view. Until they front up with their financials, it’s hard to see their court case as anything more than political theatre.

If Te Pāti Māori should start by respecting the same legal obligations they expect from others. As always, their credibility is hanging by a thread.