BREAKING: John Tamihere Speech at Maori Party AGM

Waatea News is reporting John Tamihere’s speech to the Maori Party AGM:

The following is a transcript of the full speech delivered in the electorate of Wairiki, home of incumbent MP Rawiri Waititi, by John Tamihere, the President of Te Pati Maori. The occasion – the Te Pati Maori AGM. See our analysis here 

On 4 July 2024 we celebrated Te Pati Maori’s 21st Birthday at Hoani Waititi Marae – the place where our movement was first confirmed in 2004.

We stood holding six of the seven Maori seats – a powerful defence, and a strategic counter-attack against an aggressive rollback of Māori rights.

Our leadership was affirmed unanimously across all seven electorates. Our strategy of activating communities in their space, in their time and on the day of our choosing proved remarkably successful.

We stood on that day as the most successful Maori political entity in 185 years. We stood in the knowledge that within 24 months we would fulfil all our people’s dreams and aspirations by sitting inside our constitution on our own mana with our own leverage.

By early 2025 we built Toitū Te Tiriti -a bridge for Tangata Whenua, Tangata Moana and Tangata Tiriti who stood with us.

Our people responded.
In their hundreds.
In their thousands.

In their hundreds of thousands – 120,000 marching on Parliament.

And again- the largest number of opposing submissions Parliament has ever received – against the Treaty Principles Bill.

Then came the worst of news.

Takutai Tarsh Kemp was diagnosed in February 2025 with severe kidney disease, having only 15% functionality.

For all whanau who have walked this journey, you know how heavy that prognosis is.

We wrapped her in aroha and urged her to place her hauora first. Regretfully in my mind she placed her service to our people ahead of her own wellbeing.

Her leadership was next level.

Her service to South Auckland whānau was unmatched, especially during COVID.

I asked her after working with her for over fourteen years to stand for us in Tāmaki Makaurau – I was joined in this quest with Rangi McLean and Martin Cooper. Her leadership over Covid in the Manurewa community was exemplary. She was the right counterweight to all other candidates in Tāmaki Makaurau. She agreed to stand and the rest is history. I never respond to any commentary around Tarsh or her tangi because that is above both of us.

Her passing was a deep loss to our movement, our people, and all who loved her.

In the midst of grief, we chose a new candidate – Oriini Kaipara.

And Tāmaki Makaurau responded.

A decisive victory.

A turning point.

A resounding victory against a huge party that mobilised over fifteen of its seats in

Tāmaki Makaurau to question our authenticity.

A confirmation of the strength, depth and discipline of our electorate committee, campaign team and whānau.

Oriini is only nine weeks old in Parliamentary terms and is six month old in Te Pāti Māori

terms but has already exhibited outstanding representation on the floor of the house and appears to have the ability to turn this seat into a fortress in 2026.

The present ruling regime have attacked anything and everything that we have painstakenly achieved over the last 50 years of Parliamentary democracy. Our small team and Party have consistently waged a strong an opposition as possible. The discrimination against our tikanga in the house peaked with the savage suspension of our two Co-Leaders for 21 days and Hana Maipi-Clarke for seven days.

The constant purposeful pressure placed on our co-leadership is immense and impacts them and their whanau day in and day out.

Our People are very demanding but on behalf of the Party, I ask over this next period that they express arohatanga for the sacrifices made by these Co-Leaders and Hana Maipi- Clarke.

At a time when we needed unity to carry us through heartbreak … leadership ambitions surfaced.

Ambition is natural in any movement – but ambition must sit inside tikanga.

Ambition inside tikanga strengthens us.

Ambition outside tikanga fractures us.

We can be defined by this pressure or strengthened by the purpose.

Leadership is not about seeking popularity and appeasement at the price of principle and position. Leadership is about direction and decisiveness.

Suspensions only added pressure. We can fixate on what divides us, or strengthen ourselves for what awaits us.

These are the evolutionary stages of a committed, organised, structured but above all a disciplined, political movement.

Leadership challenges must occur within tikanga. Our difficulties reflect a movement maturing in discipline and organisation.

No MP is above the Party.

No MP is below the Party.

Every MP is a function of the movement.

Without discipline – we descend into anarchy.

With discipline – we ascend into power.

Our present leadership challenge is not about policy, programme or principle.

It is about personalities.

And personality cannot outweigh kaupapa.

We oversaw one of the greatest registrations of Maori voters in our history. Even 18 months out from an election – we already had the numbers for an eighth seat. We have taken the Electoral Commission to court. We await the decision. If statutory interpretation fails, we will pursue the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights.

Our electorates hold thousands more voters than general seats.

Our people are awakening to the power of the brown vote – and it is through this Party that this awakening has occurred. It is only this Party that continues to assert our Mana Maori Motuhake, every day all day.

We cannot live in a democracy where our votes are not equal to non-Maori.

Any movement that stands for mana motuhake faces scrutiny others will never face.

And yet – our kaupapa has held firm. Whanau associated with Te Pati Maori were targeted and the State weaponised everything it had in endeavouring to destroy us but most importantly to destroy our belief in our movement. Not one enquiry, investigation, audit or review was upheld out of a constant barrage of these.

We cannot live in a democracy where we are penalised for our legitimate indigenous political rights.

We now move as one people toward making this a one-term Government.

Te Pati Maori is the only unapologetic Maori force in Parliament.

For the first time in 186 years – we stand a real chance of sitting at the governing table, on our own terms

According to Te Tiriti o Waitangi with mana rangatiratanga with mana Motuhake delivered by our own people.

E te whānau, koinei taku kupu whakamutunga.

We have endured the best of years and the worst of years – and yet our kaupapa has never been stronger. We have been tested by grief, tested by ambition, tested by Crown scrutiny, tested by the political game – and every test has proven this:

Te Pāti Māori does not fold.

Te Pati Māori leads.

And we lead because we are bound by whakapapa – the dreams of our tūpuna behind us, and the futures of our mokopuna before us.

They are the reason we rise. They are the reason we fight. They are the reason we will not be moved. As the country stares down a one-term Government,

those who stand with us in opposition – those who fight for Te Tiriti, for climate justice, for dignity, for whanau – they know this truth:

There is no path to Government without Te Pati Maori.

There is no stable Government without Te Pati Maori.

There is no Tiriti-centred Government without Te Pāti Māori.

To our people – Our brown vote is rising. Our movement is rising. Our leverage is rising. But more than that – our mokopuna are watching.

Our tupuna are with us.

And we have an obligation to honour both.

 2026 is not just another election.

It is the moment Aotearoa chooses who it wants to be for the next generation and the generation after that.

And we will be there – steadfast, disciplined, unapologetic – carrying the mandate of our people – for true Te Tiriti partnership, to the governing table for the first time in 186 years.

 Ahakoa nga hau kino –

ka u tonu tatou.

Ka tu te iwi.

Ka tu te mana.

Ka tu nga mokopuna.

Ka tu ngà tupuna.

Ka tu Te Pati Maori.

…