Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti leader calls out Te Pāti Māori ‘dictatorship model’

Thursday, 2 October 2025

Te Pāti Māori MP Takuta Ferris says he has nothing to apologise for despite his own party issuing an apology on his behalf. Caught at Wellington Airport, Ferris dismissed his co-leaders’ response as the party faces deepening internal strains.

Pressure is building on Te Pāti Māori, with Toitū Te Tiriti - the activist movement behind last year’s huge Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti - now speaking out against the party.

Tensions have been bubbling in Te Pāti Māori for some time, with public ructions between the party leadership and their MPs Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi last month.

Now, Eru Kapa-Kingi - a spokesperson for Toitū Te Tiriti, who is also Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s son - has spoken publicly, raising concerns about the leadership of Te Pāti Māori. He described it as a “dictatorship model”.

He told Te Ao Māori News that Toitū Te Tiriti would distance itself from Te Pāti Māori. In particular, he criticised comments from the party that suggested it was the only rightful voice of Māori in Parliament.

“It’s not true that Te Pāti Māori is the only kaupapa Māori party entitled to hold the Māori seats. That’s a false, ego-driven narrative. Power doesn’t sit with one party; it sits with the people,” he said, in the interview.

Toitū Te Tiriti spokesperson Eru Kapa-Kingi.

Kapa-Kingi had been closely aligned with Te Pāti Māori. He was a candidate for the party, and was also its vice president.

But he told Te Ao Māori News the party had a “problematic” leadership system which did not follow tikanga Māori.

“Their leadership style, and the way they’ve been running Te Pāti Māori, is problematic,” he said.

He said he tried to change the system to instil a tikanga-based leadership, but said it remained “effectively a dictatorship model” which “wasn’t working”.

One of his criticisms had been that Te Pāti Māori wasn’t holding an annual general meeting (AGM), as required by its constitution.

A party spokesperson told Stuff the hui had only been delayed due to the sudden death of Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp.

Tens of thousands of people arrived at Parliament as part of te Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti.

“Postponing the AGM was both a practical and compassionate decision… The AGM will be held in the coming months,” the party said, in a statement.

Kapa-Kingi told Stuff on Thursday that he would be releasing a podcast discussing these issues in depth later this week.

A promo of that podcast showed he called the leadership “toxic”, and dismissed suggestions that his comments were the result of any personal falling out with the party following the demotion of his mother, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi

Last month, Te Pāti Māori demoted Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, who had been the party’s whip. That is an official and important role at Parliament that comes with perks and the responsibility to keep the party in order.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was made the whip, which is unusual for a party leader. While Kapa-Kingi was happy in that role, Ngarewa-Packer told Stuff the party needed to change as it reorganised ahead of next year’s election, and following the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

“We need to release our MPs so they can be in their electorates. I was the whip for three years. We will be focusing on inducting a new MP and recruiting a new team,” she said.

The party said it appreciated Eru Kapa Kingi’s work, calling him a “valued member”, and the role of Te Pāti Māori.

“Te Pāti Māori remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the kaupapa of kotahitanga.

“We are focused on the bigger task; building an Aotearoa Hou grounded in Te Tiriti, mana motuhake, rangatiratanga and mokopuna decisions because we are committed to being a movement that leaves nobody behind. Next week, we will be sharing our reset and our vision for the path ahead,” the statement said.