Eru Kapa-Kingi. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
A prominent Māori activist believes that tangata whenua have no viable option for the upcoming general election, but has ruled out forming a political party himself.
Toitū Te Tiriti has cut ties with Te Pāti Māori after kaikōrero Eru Kapa-Kingi accused the party leadership of being "dictatorial", and criticised the party for failing to hold its annual general meeting and national council hui, despite constitutional requirements.
Te Pāti Māori has disputed the claims, saying no formal complaints have been lodged and it promised a "reset" next week.
Kapa-Kingi told RNZ's Saturday Morning issues within Te Pāti Māori in recent weeks had shown "the cracks of how the party operates" but the conversation around the independence of Toitū Te Tiriti was "long in the works".
"I want to make clear... that the position of Toitū in confirming its independence as a political movement is separate to me sharing my lived experiences as Eru and my criticisms and observations as Eru Kapa-Kingi."
Kapa-Kingi said movements have to survive through any changes in political tides and it didn't not make sense to be tied at the hip to any political party.
"It's good to have these clear lines of people on the ground, activating on the ground and politicians doing their mahi in there because sure they can come out of the whare and swing a flag around, which is cool, and necessary sometimes for support but we can't swap roles with them."
He clarified there could still be working relationships between Toitū Te Tiriti and a political party that aligned with the kaupapa of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The role of Toitū Te Tiriti was to pressure a legitimate block into working together to present a hopeful option for government and for change, he said.
Kapa-Kingi believes tangata whenua have no viable option for the upcoming general election but he has ruled out forming a rival political party. Rather, he hoped the split from Toitū Te Tiriti would spur Te Pāti Māori into creating genuine change from the inside -- that it "sort out its raruraru and clean out its whare".
This could offer an opportunity for a relationship between the party and Toitū Te Tiriti, he said.
Te Pāti Māori said next week it will share its "reset" and vision for a path ahead.
A couple of speeches from the party would not be good enough and the core problem was a lack of accountability, Kapu-Kingi said.
But he said relationship between Toitū Te Tiriti and Te Pāti Māori was not beyond restoration.
"I will say the statement from Te Pāti Māori doesn't go far enough in addressing the actual issues that I'm bringing up, and dances around the issue of toxic leadership.
"It's a bit of an exhibition in gaslighting."
Kapa-Kingi asked Te Pāti Māori co-leaders, Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngawera-Packer, and party president John Tamihere, for "a genuine moment of self-reflection".
"What matters is the people have an opportunity to speak, 'cause many have been silenced in terms of having genuine influence over the direction of Te Pāti Māori."
On Friday, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rāwiri Waititi declined an interview with RNZ, but told Radio Waatea the party had addressed Kapa-Kingi's accusations through media statements.
"We're open to having any open dialogue with the people that may be disgruntled. We've just got to continue the mahi," he said.
