Parties / Te Pāti Māori

Te Pāti Māori

Founded in 2004. In opposition. Led by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.

Depth

Key facts

Party: Te Pāti Māori Party website
Leaders: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Wāhine Co-Leader), Rawiri Waititi (Tāne Co-Leader)
Founded: 2004
Seats before the 2026 election: 4
2023 election: 3.08% of the party vote, 6 seats
Now: In opposition in the Parliament elected in 2023.

Sources: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][13][14]

About the party

Te Pāti Māori was founded in 2004 after a hīkoi over the Government's foreshore and seabed legislation, and it was named the Māori Party until July 2023. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi are its Co-leaders. It won six seats at the 2023 election, all electorate seats, and held four when Parliament was dissolved on 1 October 2026, after two of its MPs stopped being party members during the term. It is in opposition. It supported National-led governments under confidence and supply agreements from 2008 to 2017. Its constitution lists nine tikanga, shown below in the party's own words.

History. Te Pāti Māori was founded in 2004 after a hīkoi against the Government's foreshore and seabed legislation, which was passed later that year as the Foreshore and Seabed Act. The Electoral Commission lists its registration date as 24 June 2004. Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples were its first co-leaders. Its registered name was the Māori Party until 12 July 2023, when the Electoral Commission approved the new name, Te Pāti Māori. It won no seats at the 2017 election, and returned to Parliament at the 2020 election with two MPs.

In government. From 2008 to 2017 the party supported National-led governments under confidence and supply agreements, renewed after the 2011 and 2014 elections. Its co-leaders were ministers outside Cabinet under the 2008 and 2011 agreements.

In Parliament. At the 2023 election it won 3.08% of the party vote (87,973 votes) and six electorate seats with no list seats, which the Electoral Commission describes as an overhang of two seats. Takutai Tarsh Kemp, the MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, died in 2025, and Oriini Kaipara won the by-election for the party on 6 September 2025. Its National Council voted on 9 November 2025 to expel Mariameno Kapa-Kingi (Te Tai Tokerau) and Tākuta Ferris (Te Tai Tonga), announced on 10 November 2025. The High Court found Kapa-Kingi's expulsion unlawful on 10 March 2026 and reinstated her as a member; on 11 May 2026 she left the party and announced the Te Tai Tokerau Party. Ferris is standing as an independent. That left it with four seats when Parliament was dissolved on 1 October 2026, held by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Te Tai Hauāuru), Rawiri Waititi (Waiariki), Oriini Kaipara (Tāmaki Makaurau) and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke (Hauraki-Waikato).

Leadership. Its website lists Debbie Ngarewa-Packer as Wāhine Co-Leader and Rawiri Waititi as Tāne Co-Leader. Under its constitution the two co-leaders, one wāhine and one tāne, are chosen at a Special General Meeting held within six weeks of a general election, from its sitting MPs where possible, and serve three years. After Turia and Sharples, Te Ururoa Flavell and Marama Fox were co-leaders.

What it says it stands for

In the party's own words and order. Where the party gives an item no heading, the heading is a short neutral topic name added by this site. From: Rules and Constitution (2023 final version, lodged with the Electoral Commission), Part 1: Ngā Kaupapa o te Pāti Māori, the nine tikanga.

Manaakitanga
Rangatiratanga
Whanaungatanga
Kotahitanga
Wairuatanga
Mana Whenua
Kaitiakitanga
Whakapapa
Te Reo Rangatira

Manaakitanga
Manaaki for Māori aspirations, relationships that elevate, a fair and just society and work to eliminate poverty and injustice, respect among members, and rebuilding the nation on mutual respect.
“To be recognised by Māori as a political organisation that does manaaki the aspirations of Māori. To ensure that relationships between the Pāti and whānau, hapū, iwi, and other Māori organisations are elevating and enhancing. To promote a fair and just society, to work for the elimination of poverty and injustice, and to create an environment where the care and welfare of one's neighbour is important. To ensure that members agree to work together, treat each other with respect, and act with integrity in their Pāti work. To involve all peoples in the process of rebuilding our nation based on mutual respect and harmonious relationships.”
[7]
Rangatiratanga
Recognising whānau, hapū and iwi authority, Tino Rangatiratanga and Kāwanatanga under Te Tiriti, separate Māori seats, Māori as tangata whenua, self-determination, and conduct reflecting rangatira.
“To recognise and acknowledge the authority of whānau, hapū and iwi in their respective electorates. To enhance the relationship between Tino Rangatiratanga and Kāwanatanga as provided for in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. To promote the retention of separate seats for Māori in the Parliament of New Zealand, and to select suitable persons to represent Te Pāti Māori in Māori constituencies, in agreed General constituencies, and as List Candidates for the Pāti. To assert and confirm the role of Māori as tangata whenua. To promote Māori self-determination through the establishment of a forum to provide a Māori viewpoint and guide and advise the parliamentary team. To acknowledge, nurture, support and reflect rangatiratanga within the Pāti and other Māori organisations. To ensure that the conduct and activities of the parliamentary team, leaders, and the organisation as a whole are reflective of the attributes of rangatira.”
[7]
Whanaungatanga
The survival of Māori as a people, respect for all cultures and for tangata whenua, interdependent relationships with whānau, hapū and iwi, and whanaungatanga as a model for collective arrangements.
“To promote and contribute to the survival of Māori as a people. To promote respect for all cultures and ensure all people have an understanding of, and respect for the status of tangata whenua. To encourage relationships between whānau, hapū, iwi, other Māori organisations and the Pāti that reflect interdependence. To promote whanaungatanga as the model for good collective arrangements between different parties”
[7]
Kotahitanga
Working for unity among Māori, avoiding division within the organisation, a parliamentary team speaking with a single voice for Māori, and cooperative relationships among all people.
“To consistently work for unity among Māori people. To avoid taking decisions and approaches that lead to division and disharmony within the organisation. To establish a parliamentary team that can work together and are committed to speaking with a single voice on behalf of Māori. To promote harmonious and cooperative relationships amongst all people.”
[7]
Wairuatanga
Spiritual identity and connection with the land, a unified and holistic approach to life, a party that nurtures wairua, and oranga wairua for Māori well-being.
“To encourage, maintain, and promote spiritual identity and connection with the land. To break down secular and non-secular divisions and promote a unified and holistic approach to life. To develop within Te Pāti an environment that nourishes and nurtures wairua. To promote the importance of oranga wairua for Māori well-being”
[7]
Mana Whenua
A party of the Māori people, Māori ties to their own land, belonging in the organisation, a parliamentary team guided by Māori, and mana whenua guiding land management.
“To ensure that the Pāti is of the Māori people. To assist Māori to establish and maintain their connections to their own land. To develop arrangements that foster the values of ūkaipō, of importance, belonging, and contribution within the organisation. To develop a parliamentary team that will take advice and guidance from Māori in the first instance. To promote mana whenua as the basis for land management policies.”
[7]
Kaitiakitanga
Wellness and well-being for Māori, sustainable management and growth of the economy for future generations, and a clean, safe, healthy environment through protecting and restoring mauri.
“To promote the achievement of wellness and well-being for Māori. To foster and promote sustainable management and growth of the economy so as to provide a stable and secure environment for future generations. To create a clean, safe, and healthy environment by promoting the protection, restoration, and enhancement of mauri within our natural environments.”
[7]
Whakapapa
The view that all Māori are related, supporting whānau, hapū and iwi connections and contribution to wider society, and whakapapa as a tool for the party's research.
“To encourage the view that all Māori are related, leading towards cooperation and unity. To support endeavours by Māori to establish and maintain our whanau, hapū, and iwi connections and continue our positive contribution to wider society. To promote whakapapa as a tool for analysis and synthesis within the research activity of the Pāti.”
[7]
Te Reo Rangatira
Revitalising te reo Māori, promoting its recognition as the first and official language, growing it to carry Māori knowledge, advancing mātauranga Māori, and encouraging bi-literacy.
“Ki te kore tātou e kōrero Māori, ka ngaro te reo, Ka ngaro te reo, ka ngaro ngā tikanga. Ka ngaro ngā tikanga, ka ngaro tātou ki te Ao. Ko te reo te kaipupuri i te Māoritanga. To ensure the revitalisation of te reo Māori. To promote wider recognition of te reo Māori as the first and official language of the country. To promote the development and growth of te reo Māori both as the indigenous language of this country and also as the appropriate language to carry Māori knowledge and contemporary Māori customs. To promote mātauranga Māori pathways that are of benefit to the people and lead to our advancement. To provide for research and development that leads to the advancement of mātauranga Māori and ensures the survival of the people as Māori. To provide opportunities to encourage bi-literacy in our society”
[7]

Bottom lines for coalition talks

What the party has publicly said it must get, or won't accept, to form or support a government after the 2026 election. Every party's bottom lines

Entrench Te Tiriti in New Zealand's constitution.

Speaking on Marae recently, party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said entrenchment of te tiriti in the country's constitution would be a bottom line in any potential negotiations to form the next government.
Party claimDebbie Ngarewa-Packer, Te Pāti Māori co-leader (the source's summary, not a direct quote), reported 25 Aug 2026 · The Spinoff

On: What should happen to Te Tiriti settings and Māori representation?

Meaningful change to the tax system.

“When the next government requires our support, there must be meaningful tax transformation”
Party claimRawiri Waititi, Te Pāti Māori co-leader, 26 Aug 2026 · interest.co.nz · The Spinoff

On: How should income tax change?

Its other policies

Policies on its own policy page (read 17 Oct 2026) or in its releases that no issue page compares yet, each on the same short card. Some parties list single policies and others list broad areas, so the number of cards says nothing about how much a party has planned. Every party's policies

Cost of living

Te Pāti Māori's cost of living policy: lift incomes and strengthen welfare

Te Pāti Māori would lift incomes so people can live with dignity. It would strengthen welfare so whānau are not, in its words, "punished for being poor". It would back practical help with living costs, including making transport more affordable.