President of Te Pāti Māori, John Tamihere, has delivered one of its most defiant and emotionally charged speeches of the year, describing 2024–2025 as “the best of years and the worst of years,” while reaffirming the party’s unity, discipline, and growing political strength. The speech, obtained by Radio Waatea, lays out an extraordinary period of triumphs, grief, and unprecedented political pressure.
The address comes as Te Pāti Māori faces ongoing legal challenges, including the High Court proceedings brought by ousted MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Takutai Ferris, who argue their suspensions and expulsions were unconstitutional. The Court has reserved its decision, a ruling that could shape the party’s governance and electoral standing in the months ahead.
A Movement at its Peak – and Under Pressure
The speech begins by celebrating Te Pāti Māori’s 21st birthday and its historic achievement in July 2024: holding six of the seven Māori electorates, becoming what the speaker called “the most successful Māori political entity in 185 years.” The party’s strategy of mobilising communities “in their own time, in their own space” was credited for unprecedented voter activation.
Early 2025 saw the rise of Toitū Te Tiriti, a mass movement uniting Tangata Whenua, Tangata Moana, and Tangata Tiriti – culminating in 120,000 marching on Parliament and a record-breaking number of submissions against the Government’s Treaty Principles Bill.
The tone shifts as the speech acknowledges the devastating loss of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who died in 2025 after a battle with kidney disease. Her leadership during COVID-19 and her service to South Auckland were praised as “next level” and “unmatched.”
Her passing was followed by internal tension. Leadership ambitions surfaced “outside tikanga,” creating fractures at a time when unity was desperately needed. The speech stresses that ambition must sit inside tikanga – outside it “we descend into anarchy.”
This aligns directly with the current court battle, where expelled MPs argue due process was not followed. The party disputes this, emphasising tikanga-based discipline as central to its structure.
Despite the turmoil, Te Pāti Māori’s by-election win in Tāmaki Makaurau – with newcomer Oriini Kaipara– is described as a turning point and “a resounding victory against a huge party machine.” Kaipara is praised for early excellence in Parliament, with potential to “turn this seat into a fortress in 2026.”
Her rapid rise stands in contrast to the instability highlighted in the court case, reinforcing the party’s message that while individuals may come and go, the kaupapa moves forward.
The party condemns what it describes as “discrimination against tikanga in the House”, including the suspensions of its co-leaders and MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. These events, the speech argues, reflect a political environment hostile to Māori assertion.
This narrative echoes Te Pāti Māori’s legal defence that intensified scrutiny – both internal and external – is part of a broader pattern of political pressure aimed at weakening Māori political power. The speech notes that “not one enquiry, investigation, audit or review was upheld,” describing state actions as attempts to damage the movement.
A particularly relevant section highlights the party’s court action against the Electoral Commission, arguing that Māori electorates carry significantly more voters than general electorates – an inequality the party says breaches democratic rights. Te Pāti Māori is prepared to escalate the case under the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights.
This intersects directly with the current High Court proceedings involving party leadership: both cases raise fundamental constitutional questions about Māori political representation, tikanga authority, and the limits of state intervention.
The speech is unequivocal:
-
“No MP is above the Party. No MP is below the Party.”
-
“Without discipline – we descend into anarchy. With discipline – we ascend into power.”
These lines resonate strongly against the backdrop of the court dispute, where the central issue is whether the party exercised its disciplinary powers appropriately.
The final section is a call to arms. The party believes it is positioned to determine who governs New Zealand after the next election:
-
“There is no path to Government without Te Pāti Māori.”
-
“Our brown vote is rising. Our movement is rising. Our leverage is rising.”
With court rulings pending and internal challenges still unfolding, the speech ends with a message of endurance:
“Ahakoa ngā hau kino – ka ū tonu tātou. Ka tū te iwi. Ka tū te mana. Ka tū Te Pāti Māori.”
“Despite the harsh winds – we remain steadfast.”
See the full speech here: https://waateanews.com/2025/12/07/the-best-of-years-the-worst-of-years-2024-to-2025/
