Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is responding to allegations she overspent her budget after her own party released documents suggesting she was headed towards a $133,000 overspend.

Kapa-Kingi, who has refused to speak publicly about the matter, published a statement on social media this afternoon in which she claims the party had retracted its support of the Te Tai Tokerau MP receiving further funding for her work as party whip and on behalf of the late Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp.

Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere has been contacted for comment.

Kapa-Kingi’s comments follow Te Pāti Māori’s release last week of a series of documents amid its response to claims from Eru Kapa-Kingi, a former party vice-president and Mariameno’s son, that the party suffered from a dictatorial leadership style.

One of the documents the party released was an alleged letter from Parliamentary Service on August 1 this year raising concerns with Kapa-Kingi that her office was heading towards a $133,000 overspend of her budget and recommending “urgent action” to ensure staff were paid.

The Parliamentary Services letter told the MP “you now have $4986 for the remainder of the term. Urgent action is required to at least cover your staff costs (about $25,000 monthly)”.

The letter said any overspend would need to be covered by Kapa-Kingi personally.

“We are at a point where we need to start taking actions immediately to manage the large overspend.”

The letter listed a range of recommendations, including specifically cutting engagement with contractor Eru Kapa-Kingi/Tautoru. It asks whether a July invoice is expected, and “if so, why are we still engaging with Eru?”

The letter also recommended:

• Bringing forward a 10% portion – or $50,000 – of the MP’s year three budget to cover staff costs to about mid-September;
• Reducing casual staff hours to zero;
• Stopping all travel for staff and reducing all staff pcard limits to $1;
• Considering a restructure of staffing.

“If we don’t have a satisfactory resolution, this issue will be taken to the Speaker.”

Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Two days later, Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere appears to have emailed Mariameno regarding the “urgent requirement to resolve significant financial over-expenditure out of your Office”.

Kapa-Kingi did not address the overspend allegations when the documents were sent to party members on Monday night last week.

Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer told the Herald the matter had been “resolved”, indicating funding meant for next year would be brought forward.

This afternoon, Kapa-Kingi released a statement online to address allegations made regarding her “conduct as an MP”.

She claimed the Te Tai Tokerau budget, used for costs incurred as an electorate MP such as employing staff, had “not ever been overspent”.

Kapa-Kingi then explained she had her budget adjusted to help Kemp amid Kemp’s battle with kidney disease, as well as extra work as the party’s whip, which she claimed was “encouraged” by the party.

“The leadership approved the payment of the first tranche of the work, indicating the arrangements were suitable and sufficient,” she said.

“Payment happened without contest or alarm. I continued with the same arrangements.

“I believed Te Pāti Māori leadership would support further budget reallocation to cover the requirements of this role they entrusted me with. For whatever reason, they did not.

“Fortunately, the Speaker of the House [Gerry Brownlee] (who has the last say on all budgetary matters) approved my budget adjustments and confirmed no rules had been breached.

“The leaders were well aware of this extra work and the approval made by the Speaker. I remain unsure why this budget reallocation was shared publicly without the context it was made in.”

Kapa-Kingi also addressed speculation about her future as an MP.

“I want to say this clearly: I am here. I am still your MP.

“It has taken some time to process and determine the most appropriate way to respond without also getting caught up in the unforgivable storm of the mainstream media or pulling away from the most important kaupapa on the ground.”

In the caption of her social media post, Kapa-Kingi said she “won’t be commenting any further on these matters. Time to get back to mahi for my people”.

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.