Oriini Kaipara missteps again?!?
At a point where Te Pāti Māori desperately needs discipline, clarity and momentum heading into Election 2026, another avoidable communications own-goal has exploded into public view — feeding speculation, destabilising headlines and gifting political opponents another week of unnecessary drama.
Oriini Kaipara confirms loyalty to Te Pāti Māori after conflicting reports
Oriini Kaipara has confirmed her loyalty to Te Pāti Māori after conflicting statements were made by her spokesperson to different media outlets, as the party announces it will make a formal complaint.
Stuff has since published more information regarding the conflicting statements, including correspondence between the Stuff reporter and Kaipara’s media spokesperson.
In a social media post, Kaipara said she wanted to “correct the narrative” that was reported on Monday evening by Stuff that she was “still considering options” in response to a question asking if she would stay with Te Pāti Māori (TPM).
“I confirm that the comments claiming to be mine are not. I did not and have not spoken with any reporter on this matter,” Kaipara said on social media.
Stuff has acknowledged Kaipara did not speak directly to the reporter, however, in the correspondence between the reporter and Kaipara’s media spokesperson, the comments were attributed to Kaipara.
Another self-inflicted communications disaster
It was an extraordinary headline from Stuff that Oriini Kaipara was also thinking of leaving the party, which then sparked questions around Hanna as well!
It turns out that speculation was a ‘mistake’ from inside Oriini’s own communications team!!! And when I say ‘mistake’, I mean a new staff member who seemed to think they were the Machiavellian Whare of Cards master strategist big noting to a journalist when they should never have said anything in the first place!
With the election mere months away, can Te Pati Māori continue making unnecessary forced errors like this?
Oriini has already built a reputation of being flaky and this nonsense doesn’t help.
Hone Harawira could still reset the entire race
The one game changer on the horizon for Te Pati Māori right now is the possible candidacy of Hone Harawira for Te Tai Tokerau, if Te Pati Māori secure him and he stands he will win and pick up a full point in party vote.
If that happens, all of the unnecessary own goals will be forgiven.
