David Farrar: Meet TPM’s “hero”

Te Pati Maori co-leader Rawiri Waititi shared a video of Ibrahim Traoré on Instagram and declared him his “hero”.

Traoré is the leader of Burkina Faso. Here’s his record:

Ani O'Brien: A week is a long time - 5 July 2025

A NZ Politics weekly wrap-up

Luxon’s plans for Quarter 3

Despite not quite completing two of its 38 objectives for Quarter 2, Christopher Luxon and his Government are correct to call it a success. The two that were missed relate to removing barriers to capital markets and a Government AI strategy. Both are underway. In Quarter 3, there are 28 actions on the checklist and Luxon puts this drop down to the size and scope of the objectives. That didn’t stop the NZ Herald from running with the headline “Government gives itself fewer actions to do this quarter…”

David Farrar: Tania vs Rawiri

The Rotorua Daily Post reports:

Waititi said the removal of the homeless people was “callous attacks” on “vulnerable whānau”.

He said they were woken by police, trespassed like criminals and had their belongings “tipped out, broken, or hauled away like trash”, with some also arrested “for being distressed at the violent way they were being treated under cold, heartless council bylaws”.

Bob Edlin: Waititi’s demand to “get on with it” presaged the sovereignty issue being aired....

Waititi’s demand to “get on with it” presaged the sovereignty issue being aired – and claims about the race card being played

It looks like the Government and Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi shared one objective last Thursday. Both wanted to bring an end to proceedings that determined the fate of the three Māori Party MPs who had performed a haka during the vote on the first reading of the Principles of Treaty of Waitangi Bill last November.

Louis Collins, in an RNZ report headed The House: A sentencing hearing in Parliament, observed:

Matua Kahurangi: Waving a noose in Parliament?

By now, you’ve probably seen the image spreading across social media - Rawiri Waititi, co-leader of Te Pāti Māori, standing in New Zealand’s Parliament, brandishing a noose like some kind of political prop. I watched it unfold live during the parliamentary debate yesterday and it was one of the most disgraceful stunts I’ve ever seen in the House.

Steven Mark Gaskell: Lowering super eligibility for māori is wrong, divisive, and racist

The proposal by Te Pāti Māori to lower the superannuation age to 57 exclusively for Māori is not just flawed—it’s dangerous.

It’s a clear step away from equal treatment under the law and a leap toward race-based entitlement that has no place in a modern, democratic society.

David Farrar: Would Waititi qualify for residency?

I’m not against having character questions as part of residency applications but I note that these questions could see TPM co-leader Rawiri Waititi fail to get residency, if he was an applicant.

Bob Edlin: Waititi’s beating of the drum to enrol more Maori in Maori electorates....

Rawiri Waititi’s beating of the drum to enrol more Maori in Maori electorates (to vote for guess who?)

The table below gives us an idea of how Maori are responding to their right to exploit the Maori electoral option.

The data can be considered alongside Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi’s urging Maori to opt for the Maori roll and to have more Maori seats established.

Peter Williams: Luxon Misses the Mark

Why doesn't he like the Treaty Principles Bill?

The Prime Minister’s statement at his Monday media conference this week was quite staggering.

In response to a question from The Platform’s Sean Plunket, Christopher Luxon said about the Treaty Principles Bill “there isn’t anything I like.”

Read the Bill and then consider Luxon’s statement.

Dr Don Brash: Prebble puts the cat among the pigeons!!

As you probably know Hobson's Pledge has been running a petition to End the Waitangi Tribunal. That campaign continues, but in the meantime we heard some news that brought a smile to our faces... the Government has appointed former Labour Minister and ACT leader Richard Prebble to the Waitangi Tribunal!

The outrage machine has kicked into action with Willie Jackson even saying:

Rodney Hide: Blood Quantum

ACT Leader David Seymour posts on X:

“Today in Parliament, Rawiri Waititi referred to a Government MP's 'blood quantum'. That's the dangerous and divisive idea that how much ‘Māori blood’ a person has in their body should matter.

If any other political party behaved in this way, they would lead the 6pm news.”

Mike Butler: Maori wards decision looms

Councillors on the 45 councils that imposed Maori wards once polls were outlawed must soon decide whether to disestablish them, or rescind their decision, or face campaigning in an election in which Maori wards are the issue.

This is unless the coalition government waters down or withdraws the Local Electoral (Maori Wards and Maori Constituencies) Amendment Bill, which is currently under attack from Maori wards supporters during submissions.

Each council must decide during a “transitional period”, which is the weeks between the time when the bill becomes law, which could be July 31, and September 6.

Graham Adams: Rawiri Waititi’s gift to the coalition

The government is always going to win a showdown between order and anarchy.

Not every government is lucky enough to be gifted a parliamentary opponent who effortlessly makes its leaders look sagacious and principled. Someone who immediately makes them look competent and sane in comparison, and very much the adults in the room.

With his inflammatory slogans, theatrics and intimidating posturing, Rawiri Waititi ably and enthusiastically fulfils that role in New Zealand’s 54th Parliament (albeit with stiff competition from others in Te Pāti Māori, including his co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer).

Chris Lynch: Karen Chhour responds to Te Pāti Māori’s “divisive outbursts”

ACT MP Karen Chhour has responded to the Maori Party’s “divisive outbursts.”

Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said yesterday, ‘It’s now time for us to step comfortably into our rangatiratanga and to not give too much to this Pakeha Government with their Pakeha Budget for their Pakeha economy.’

Cam Slater: Scallywags? Actually, They Are More like Ratbags

The Maori Party and their proxies are upping the ante in their racist rage, promising to block motorways and roads and go on strike as part of a protest against the democratically elected Government’s policies.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 1/11/23

While a wretched war is waged in the Middle East, Rawiri Waititi tenders foreign policy advice: NZ should adopt “mana motukahe”

The government’s official website – or is it the caretaker government’s official website? – again had no news, when Point of Order checked this morning.

The pickings were somewhat better on Scoop’s section for news from Parliament. It carried this new post:

Point of Order: Rawiri Waititi and gangs

Rawiri Waititi is the MP with a gripe about police powers to crack down on guns and gangs (but perhaps there are others)

The headline on a One News report – Police use new powers to hit gangs, but not all MPs happy – alerted the public to political concerns about search powers granted to the police to crack down on gangs.

Actually, it was an RNZ report but One News has republished it, and it kicked off:

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 16/9/23

Socialist Equality Group is bothered by Māori Party thinking on racial superiority – but it opposes all parliamentary parties

Your Point of Order writers, again starved of news when they visited the government’s official website this morning, found something fascinating while surfing the worldwide web.

Our attention was drawn to a TVNZ interview last Sunday, when Rawiri Waititi, co-leader of the Māori Party defended the statement:

Damien Grant: When Te Pāti Māori tell us what they stand for we should believe them

American poet Maya Angelou is credited with the statement; “When someone tells you who they are, believe them.”

Angelou was a prolific author and penned seven autobiographies, so the statement could have been a marketing polemic as much as a deep philosophical insight.

Still. It is wise advice. Let’s apply it to politics current bad-boy Rawiri Waititi.

Point of Order: What do Māori get from the Budget?

Not as much as last year, sorry, but $825m more than the rest of us

The question posed in a Te Karere TVNZ headline – Budget 2023: How much was given to Māori? – was partly answered on the same day by a OneNews headline – Budget delivers hundreds of millions for Māori.

The New Zealand Herald put a more precise figure on it: Budget 2023 breakdown: Māori initiatives get $825m, Te Matatini kapa haka festival receives massive boost.

Nevertheless, Newshub reported the Māori Party was miffed that Māori had been short-changed: ‘Should have done better’: Te Pāti Māori Co-leader reacts to Budget 2023.

RNZ (without a question mark) headlined a report: Budget 2023: What’s in it for Māori.

The article was providing an answer rather than asking a question.