GORDON LIGHTFOOT | Politics
SO CLOSE!
Sources at Te Pāti Māori are optimistic about the party’s future, despite ongoing troubles with so-called “rogue MPs”.
This week the leadership expelled Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris, apparently for criticising the direction the party was going in.
But unity could be just round the corner according to sources close to TPM, with one unnamed advisor saying they’re just “one viral parliament haka away from party unity”.
“This is what cuts through all the noise. Forget all the chatter about MPs openly defying their leadership. All we need is one more haka,” said the person who spoke to reporters anonymously.
“A lot of people seem to think the party needs a ‘reset’, whatever that means. In reality we need to separate the signal from the noise. What people really want and need is more haka.”
The insider claimed that Te Pāti Māori’s communication strategy is “simple and effective” and maximises the cultural capital they uniquely hold.
“Some parties spend their time drafting policy and debating bills,” they said. “We prefer to make our point in ways that subvert the colonial constructs that take up space in Wellington.”
Asked if the public might be growing tired of dramatic gestures, the insider laughed. “Tired? No, you’ve been listening to too much racist mainstream media. People love how dynamic and subversive we are. You think anyone’s replaying select committee debates on TikTok? Of course not. But a haka? Now that’s engagement.”
While some may question how another parliament haka will fix the deep divisions within Te Pāti Māori, others would say they’d be silly not to play to their strengths.
More to come.
