Te Pāti Māori reveals election strategy as campaign launches in Gisborne

Te Pāti Māori, a New Zealand political party focused on advancing Māori interests, unveiled its election strategy during the official launch of its campaign in Gisborne. The event took place at Te Poho o Rāwiri Marae, where the party’s leadership, candidates, and supporters gathered to mark the beginning of their efforts ahead of the upcoming general election. Central to the strategy is a call for Māori voters to prioritize candidate votes for individual Te Pāti Māori representatives while directing their party votes elsewhere, aiming to secure greater representation in Parliament and influence policy outcomes. Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer outlined the party’s approach, emphasizing the need for Māori voters to strategically allocate their ballots. She stated that focusing on candidate votes would help increase the number of Māori in Parliament and maintain the party’s role as an independent voice advocating for Māori communities. “We trust you with the party vote,” she told supporters, adding that the party believes Māori voters understand the importance of their choices in shaping future governance. Ngarewa-Packer highlighted the growing number of Māori registered on the Māori electoral roll as a key factor in shifting the balance of power. She argued that Māori voters hold the potential to challenge the current government and push for changes aligned with their values. “You have the power to bring this government to its knees,” she said, underscoring the significance of voter engagement in achieving political transformation. Rāwiri Waititi, the other co-leader, used the contest for the Te Tai Tokerau electorate as an example to illustrate the party’s strategy. He noted that by casting candidate votes for Te Pāti Māori candidates such as Aperehama Edwards, voters could contribute to a broader shift in parliamentary dynamics. He contrasted this approach with other parties that seek both candidate and party votes, arguing that such strategies would not effectively remove the current government from office. “They will be sitting in opposition, and if you allow these people another three years, they will entrench the harm and the destructive legislative policies that they’ve moved in this term,” he warned. Waititi emphasized that Te Pāti Māori was willing to make sacrifices to achieve its goals, suggesting that other parties might not be prepared to do the same. He questioned whether rival parties were ready to prioritize changing the government over securing their own positions. “Giving all your votes to Labour is not going to change the government. Giving all your votes to Greens isn’t going to get you over the line to make sure this is a one-term government,” he said. Senior Labour MP Willie Jackson responded to the party’s strategy, stating that Labour would not reciprocate by allocating its electorate votes to Te Pāti Māori. He maintained that Labour would continue to pursue a dual focus on both party and electoral votes. “No way at all,” Jackson said when asked if Labour would support Te Pāti Māori’s efforts. He acknowledged the party’s intentions but stressed that Labour’s priorities remained centered on policy and legislative impact rather than numerical advantages. Jackson expressed understanding of Te Pāti Māori’s approach but indicated that collaboration would depend on post-election negotiations. “If they get across the line after the election, no doubt we’ll be talking with them, and we may well be working with them,” he said, though he reiterated that Labour’s immediate focus would remain on securing both party and electoral votes. The party’s strategy aims to leverage the increasing influence of Māori voters on the electoral roll to reshape the political landscape. With the possibility of electing up to 13 Māori MPs, Te Pāti Māori seeks to amplify its presence in Parliament and advocate for policies that reflect Māori perspectives. As the campaign progresses, the effectiveness of this strategy will hinge on voter turnout and the alignment of Māori interests with the broader political agenda.