Labour MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel is suggesting her party will work with Te Pāti Māori “when they sort their issues out”.

It follows Labour’s Māori caucus co-chairman Willie Jackson telling a Waitangi Day festival crowd his party will “work with the Greens, the Māori Party, whoever” to oust the coalition Government.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins wouldn’t address Tangaere-Manuel’s comments today but described Jackson’s statement as “a little rhetorical flourish” as he restated he had been “very clear” such decisions would be made closer to the election.

With months of political polling predicting Labour would need support from both the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori to have a chance at forming a Government, Hipkins has faced ongoing scrutiny over whether he would entertain a working relationship with Te Pāti Māori.

That scrutiny intensified as Te Pāti Māori’s turmoil persisted since the party sought to expel two of its MPs. The party is currently awaiting the verdict of a court hearing after MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi challenged her expulsion.

Hipkins has repeatedly deflected questions about Te Pāti Māori, saying he would establish closer to the election which parties Labour could work with.

Labour MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel says the party will work with Te Pāti Māori once it sorts out its issues. Photo / Paul Taylor

Jackson, central to the party’s fight to regain the seven Māori seats, having won just one in 2023, said to a crowd at a Waitangi Day festival in West Auckland that Te Pāti Māori could be worked with if it meant replacing the current Government.

“We’ll work with the Greens, the Māori Party, whoever in terms of trying to get rid of a Government that is attacking Māori every day, every week, all the time,” Jackson said to cheers.

Tangaere-Manuel, who won Labour’s only Māori electorate in 2023 in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, told reporters ahead of Labour’s caucus meeting this morning she felt both Hipkins and Jackson were correct in their comments.

“When they sort their issues out, we’ll be able to work with them,” Tangaere-Manuel said of Te Pāti Māori.

“We’re a long way from the election at the moment and when we do get there and when we are in a position to negotiate, that’s when we’ll make our announcements.”

Asked about Tangaere-Manuel’s comments, Hipkins said he hadn’t seen her statements but reiterated his position.

“I haven’t seen the comments directly, but I’m absolutely confident in the conversations I’ve had with all of our MPs, that we’re all on the same page around setting that out closer to the election.”

On Jackson, Hipkins described those comments as a “little rhetorical flourish”.

“Of course we are all committed to getting rid of this Government, that is a different conversation to who we could work with in Government after the election and we will set that out close to the election.”

Jackson, speaking this morning, wouldn’t say whether Tangaere-Manuel’s comments were premature.

“Oh, we’ll see what happens because Cushla has very close relationships with [Te Pāti Māori] too, but she absolutely wants to win her seat and we’ll be going all out to win her seat on the East Coast.”

He dismissed any suggestion he had gone too far in his address in West Auckland, claiming “touchy” journalists and a “desperate” National MP Chris Bishop had taken his comments out of context.

Jackson’s mention of Bishop refers to the attack the latter launched on Labour as Hutt South MP in a press release yesterday, claiming Labour MPs are telling “different stories” about the party’s relationship with Te Pāti Māori.

Labour MP Willie Jackson (right) has endorsed the position of his leader Chris Hipkins (left). Photo / Jason Dorday

Jackson endorsed Hipkins’ position not to elaborate Labour’s stance until closer to the election but added he would not resile from having close relationships with Te Pāti Māori members.

“We haven’t made our final decisions but that doesn’t mean to say that we don’t have good cordial relationships with them, and have a bit of fun with them.

“I mean, I’m the first one who’ll put the boot into Te Pāti Māori, and they’re the first ones to put the boot into us.”

Asked how Te Pāti Māori would need to change for Labour to consider working with the party, Jackson referenced the party’s “extreme views”, mentioning its policy to abolish prisons and the creation of a Māori Parliament.

He later clarified Te Pāti Māori had the freedom to choose its own policies but that some, like those he had mentioned, were not policies Labour would entertain in any future coalition negotiations.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.