Former Te Pāti Māori co-leader suggests party may need change in leadership

A former Te Pāti Māori co-leader says a change of leadership would see the pary's supporters "come home", after being approached by many who are "frustrated and uncertain".

Te Ururoa Flavell wrote on social media on Wednesday, saying he'd tried to stay neutral but felt it was "time to say something."

It comes after the party faced a period of turmoil and infighting, resulting in one of its MPs being expelled and another leaving to start her own party.

The party has since announced new candidates for this year's election, and had Hana-Rawhiti Maipi Clarke confirm she'll be contesting Hauraki-Waikato with Te Pāti Māori.

But Flavell said he'd been approached at various tangi of influential Māori leaders - including the inaugural President of the party, Whatarangi Winiata - by Māori Party supporters asking him how they should vote.

"Many are conflicted. They have been staunch Māori Party supporters, yet they are frustrated and uncertain."

He reiterated some of the history of the party, including the wins they'd secured in Parliament, and spoke of the sense of shame when he lost his seat in 2017.

He also acknowledged current party president John Tamihere following the 2023 election that saw Te Pāti Māori pick up 6 of the 7 Māori seats.

"In my twelve years in Parliament and across four campaigns, we did not achieve what he and his team did. It was a significant victory."

But he said Māori politics was "unpredictable and can shift dramatically depending on the wider picture."

At Winiata's tangi, Flavell said he spoke openly about how the current Māori party was very different to the "one that Whatarangi, with the rest of us, built."

"I said the Party had lost its way.

"Our people have not liked the infighting, the personal attacks, the inability to uphold tikanga, poor leadership, the absence of whakaiti when needed, and the constant accusations directed at one another and others. I share those concerns."

But he said all was not lost, and returning the party to its original kaupapa was critical.

"If our people were to see a style of leadership that reflects the original Party values, I believe they would come home. That requires a change of leadership and approach. For our Movement's sake, I hope it happens, and happens soon."

Speaking to reporters at Parliament on Thursday, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said it was important to take feedback, and acknowledged her huge respect for Flavell.

She also said things had "really settled down from last year," acknowledging last year hadn't been the party's "best season."

"We're a young movement, and we're going to have lots of growing pains."

"I haven't been with any other political movement. I have only been Te Pāti Māori, and this is a taonga that we have inherited, and it's a taonga that we won't walk away from."

Ngarewa-Packer said the party needed to remain focused on getting the current government out, and were asking their supporters to have confidence in the party to do that.

Asked about people who were unsure of how to vote, Ngarewa-Packer said that was "typical after a storm."

"What we're asking our people to do is to love their movement more than they are listening to any of the issues that may have upset them last year."