Te Pāti Māori Expels Two MPs After Internal Party Rift

Te Pāti Māori has formally expelled MPs Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi after weeks of internal conflict, ending attempts at reconciliation and deepening divisions within the party.

The decision was made by the party’s national council during a Sunday night meeting, with the co-leaders announcing the expulsion would take immediate effect. The National Iwi Chairs Forum had hoped the opposing sides could resolve their differences at a hui in Wellington this week, but that process collapsed.

Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

In a statement responding to his removal, Ferris said the expulsion "is plainly unconstitutional" and added, "I do not acknowledge the decisions and illegal resolutions made through unilateral measures."

Kapa-Kingi also rejected the decision, calling it unconstitutional and stating on social media that she will appeal it "in all respects." She said she remained the elected representative for Te Tai Tokerau and would continue her work in the electorate: "I remain the duly elected Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau and will continue to stand for, and show up for the people of Te Tai Tokerau to do the job I was elected to do."

Both MPs said Te Tai Tokerau was excluded from the vote, while Te Tai Tonga abstained.

The dispute has involved accusations of breaches of party rules, disagreements over internal authority, and public criticism of party president John Tamihere. It escalated further after Ferris' electorate branch passed a vote of no confidence in Tamihere, who accused the MPs of attempting a leadership coup and acting out of "greed, avarice and entitlement."

Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the decision followed "serious breaches" of the party constitution and took place only after six weeks of discussion among electorates, branches and external groups.

"Irreconcilable differences remained. The resolution takes effect today," she said. "This decision was not taken lightly. Many hoped the end would be reconciliation. It could not be achieved. We acknowledge the mamae our people have felt."

She said the public escalation of the conflict had been damaging and distracting.

"This internal matter should never have played out in public. It has been an unnecessary distraction at a dark time for our country as this government continues its relentless attacks on our people."

Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said the party would now focus on unity and its political mission.

"Our job is to make this a one-term government. That will require structure, fortitude and unity," he said. He confirmed early discussions had begun with both Labour and the Greens about future cooperation.

He said an appeal process exists if the MPs wish to challenge the expulsion, and that whether they would be removed from Parliament under waka-jumping rules had not yet been considered.

Ngarewa-Packer confirmed Tamihere was not part of the vote, and that disciplinary processes were underway regarding leaks to the media.

Waititi said the conflict needed to be resolved: "It had to come to an end, and so we've brought it to an end, we must move on."

Both MPs remain in Parliament for now.