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November 10, 2023
Te Pāti Māori denies voting a treat on marae
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On November 10, 2023
Te Pati Māori is challenging a Whakaata Māori report suggesting irregularities at the Manurewa Marae polling booth.
The marae’s chief executive, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, won Tamaki Makaurau by just 4 votes, with a recount to be held next week.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer says there is no evidence to support the story the marae offered cups of tea and free health checks to voters after they had cast their ballots – and the commission today said it sought assurances the candidate would not be involved in any way in the voting place.
Ms Ngarewa-Packer says Whakaata Māori’s reporting encouraged other non-Māori media to pile on.
“In media, we should be having neutrality. In Māori media, when it comes to te Pāti Māori kaupapa, we should be at least guaranteed some objectivity and research and I challenge that hasn’t happened and I’m waiting for the apology to Takutai and Manurewa Marae,” she says.
Ms Ngarewa-Packer says what was done at Manurewa Marae to promote voting should be used as a model for future elections.
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