Recent public commentary and private conversations involving Matt McCarten raise serious and uncomfortable questions – not just about political strategy, but about honesty, accountability, and the company one keeps. Dale sat down with the Manukau Urban Maori Authority CEO for a korero.
At the centre of the dispute are claims that McCarten received a $100,000 loan from Dame June Jackson to establish a union, money that, according to those involved, was never repaid. That allegation alone goes to questions of integrity and responsibility – values McCarten once claimed as foundational to his political and union work. McCarten also appears to forget that the very person he accuses took him into her own home, fed and looked after him while he was suffering from cancer.
More troubling still are claims about misrepresentation behind the scenes. McCarten reportedly told Duncan – in discussions about formal complaints – that he had 19 personal grievances ready to file. Those grievances, however, have not materialised. When asked to proceed through proper processes rather than informal arrangements, McCarten is alleged to have pushed for back-room deals instead of transparency.
When that approach was rejected, critics say McCarten took a sharp turn – running to right-wing media platforms that he once condemned, aligning himself with voices fundamentally opposed to the values he long professed to uphold.
That choice of allies matters.
McCarten did not merely appear alongside right-wing bloggers – he stood by silently as one such figure publicly referred to the Chief Executive of MUMA as a “manky missus.” This was not political critique. It was a gendered, degrading slur directed at a Māori woman in leadership.
If the claims about loans, false representations, and abandoned processes are accurate – and those making them stand by their accounts – then what we are seeing is not whistle-blowing or courage. It is a strategy built on distortion, followed by a deliberate decision to seek amplification from platforms known for personal attacks rather than truth.
Claims:
- 19 Personal Grievances filed – lie
- $100,000 loan to start a union repaid? – lie
- MUMA attempting to stop McCarten starting his union – lie
- MUMA attempting to stop staff from joining a union – lie
- Willie Jackson attempting to union bust – lie
When asked about the bullying allegations the Deputy CEO of MUMA, Mike Tukaki, said “Absolutely not true – in fact its the reverse – Matt MCcarten is attempting to bully a Maori NGO into a backroom deal to settle for cash and payouts – we have said repeatedly if you think you have a case go to the Tribunal”
On letters to politicians claiming interference by Willie Jackson:
“Its another tactic – when youre looking to get a cash deal you try and bully people to do what you want – ironic?”
