Opening statement

Te Pāti Māori was founded to uphold the collective wellbeing, mana, and political voice of Māori.  Te Pāti Māori belongs to its members and the people it represents, not to any individual leader.

For this purpose to remain strong, the party must be guided by leadership that reflects integrity, transparency, and respect for democratic and tikanga-based processes.  

Many across our communities are now expressing deep concern about ongoing instability, internal conflict, and declining public confidence connected to the current leadership structure.

When trust in leadership is weakened, the party’s ability to advocate effectively for Māori in areas such as housing, health, education, justice, and tino rangatiratanga is also weakened.

This petition is not about personalities.

It is about standards of leadership, accountability, and restoring confidence in Māori political representation.

Why this matters

Across whānau, hapū, and iwi, similar concerns are being voiced:

• Uncertainty around governance and constitutional processes
• Ongoing division and instability within the party
• A growing loss of public trust and credibility
• Conflicts of influence within senior leadership roles, such as President on National Executive Council. 

Māori deserve leadership that unites rather than divides,

listens rather than dismisses,

and strengthens the kaupapa rather than weakening it.

Our call for action

We respectfully call on Te Pāti Māori to:

1. Remove the current President and General Manager from their roles in response to the concerns being raised by voters (non members and members) and communities.
2. Begin a transparent leadership reset grounded in unity, stability, and accountable governance.
3. Reaffirm a commitment to collective Māori leadership that restores public confidence and trust.

Closing

Māori political representation must stand on trust, integrity, and stability.

We believe Te Pāti Māori can — and must — do better, for its members, for Māori voters, and for future generations.

This petition is a call for stronger leadership, honest governance, and a future that truly reflects the aspirations of our people.