David Farrar: Could Te Pāti Māori lose two more MPs?

The Tamihere faction of Te Pati Maori may end up the victors, but a pyrrhic victory.

I understand that Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is consulting her electorate over the next two weeks on whether she should remain with Te Pati Maori under its current leadership.

Also new MP Oriini Kaipara is battling with TPM leadership over control of her own electorate, and there is speculation the Greens may be a backup option for her if the TPM schism is not resolved.

You have as background the revelation that former MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp was also bullied by the leadership. The Herald reports:

Family of the late Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp say an interview that featured allegations the party sought to oust Kemp as she battled kidney disease “brought clarity to matters long carried in silence”. …

Ferris, speaking to RNZ’s Mata programme, claimed the party’s leadership had attempted to remove Kemp from her Tāmaki Makaurau seat during a time she was ill and before her eventual death in June.

Ferris claimed discussions earlier this year had taken place between himself, Kemp, Kapa-Kingi and MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, during which the four MPs agreed an “intervention” related to the party’s leaders was required. However, Kemp died the week after, according to Ferris.

When the family says that what Ferris claims brings clarity to matters carried in silence, this is them basically saying it is true.

So the reality appears to be the co-leaders and President had lost the support of every other MP. But as they control the National Council, they are using that to expel them from the party to shore up their own positions.

So far it is working for them, but the end result may be they lose two more MPs, until the only remaining MPs are the two co-leaders.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders