New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones denies Te Pāti Māori has the mandate of Māori, despite it winning six of the seven Māori electorates.
On Sunday, Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere in an opinion piece said the party most certainly does have the ‘tick’ from Māori to advocate on their behalf and argued that NZ First owes Te Pāti Māori a debt of gratitude.
“We want to make it very clear as Te Pāti Māori that we have the mandate of our people off the street. No one else has that mandate. No one else can over-talk us or endeavour to deride us or endeavour to say that we do not have a mandate,” Tamihere said.
“To have achieved six in 2023 is a magnificent effort. New Zealand First should thank Te Pāti Māori for ensuring that it is in a position to bargain.”
But Jones isn’t buying it. The New Zealand First deputy has told Waatea News that Te Pāti Māori’s claim doesn’t stack up.
Te Pāti Māori winning just 87,000 of the 280,000 votes from New Zealanders on the Māori roll did not give them the mandate to speak for or on behalf of Māori, Jones is reported to have told Waatea.