Why the Te Tai Tokerau Party Could Struggle

ByMartyn Bradbury

The launch of the Te Tai Tokerau Party may have been intended as a bold political reset — but critics increasingly fear it risks becoming a self-inflicted fracture that weakens Māori political unity at the exact moment the Right is most vulnerable.

I think the Te Tai Tokerau Party will be a flop:

  • Firstly, they need 500 paying members.
  • Secondly, it won’t, as a name, it won’t get past approval of the Electoral Commission.

The political maths simply doesn’t make sense

  • Thirdly, it’s the worst strategic move Mariameno Kapa-Kingi could have made.
  • Fourthly, it alienates many voters who wanted solidarity rather than further splitting.
  • Fifthly, why would anyone outside Te Tai Tokerau vote for them in an election this tight.
  • Sixthly, if this National Party Government have been so dreadful, why split the fight against it and provide the right with more political ammunition?
  • Seventhly, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi moved from a very likely win for Te Pati Māori and turned it marginal, with a very good chance of Willow coming through for Labour.

Hone Harawira could still completely reshape the race

I think this was a blunder by Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and if Te Pati Māori select Hone Harawira as their candidate, in a 4-way race between three women and one male candidate, I think the odds move to Te Pāti Māori winning. I think Hone can appeal to male voters in a very dramatic way.

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2 Comments

  1. She set up the party as she would get more parliamentary funding as a party leader than as an individual MP. She knows that her days there are numbered, but she is going to get as much gravy from the train as possible.

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  2. Yes agree with everthing you said Martyn and would like to add I think Kapa Kingi is being selfish. I read an article about her and her dubious practices it also mentioned she hasn’t been there out in electorate putting in the hard work. Splitting the Maori vote and damaging Te Pati Maori in my view is not good particularly at a time when the CoC are kicking us in the guts. We need to be united as much as possible to make this government a one term. National are already in campaign mode, with pamphlets, hugh billboards, advertising on social media and so on.
    We are up against millions of dollars from the greedy, selfish rich oligarch who don’t give a fuck. It’s bad enough the CoC has many kupapa.

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