Officials raised concerns that Te Pāti Māori Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was in danger of overspending her office’s budget by up to $133,000 and recommended “urgent action” to ensure her staff were paid.
The Parliamentary Service’s August 1 letter to Kapa-Kingi was included in a raft of documents sent by Te Pāti Māori to its members on Monday night making allegations against its own MP and her high-profile activist son, Eru.
Eru Kapa-Kingi has previously worked for Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s office.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the budget issue has since been resolved but the release of the email from Te Pāti Māori is the latest in rifts that has emerged between Eru Kapa-Kingi, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and the party.
The airing of the allegations against the pair appears to be prompted by Eru’s recent allegations against the party of a dictatorial leadership style and the demotion of Mariameno as the party’s whip.
Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and son Eru (inset). Image - Mark Mitchell
Among the documents sent to members by Te Pāti Māori appears to be a confidential Parliamentary Service report alleging an incident on Budget Day 2024.
Asked about the allegations in the document, Parliamentary Service acting chief executive Amy Brier said in a statement: “Parliamentary Service does not comment on individual employment matters.”
The Herald has urgently sought a response from Eru Kapa-Kingi to the allegations against him.
Eru Kapa-Kingi, spokesperson for Toitū te Tiriti, and son of Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. Photo / Alex Cairns
Separate to the allegations about Budget Day 2024, one of the documents released by Te Pāti Māori was a letter addressed to Mariameno, which the party claims was sent from Parliamentary Service on August 1 this year.
In it, Parliamentary Service raised concerns that her office was heading towards a $133,000 overspend of her budget and recommended “urgent action” to ensure staff were paid.
The Parliamentary Services letter told the MP that “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 lists 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;
- Reduce casual staff hours to zero;
- Stop all travel for staff and reduce all staff pcard limits to $1;
- Consider re-structuring staff.
“If we don’t have a satisfactory resolution, this issue will be taken to the Speaker.”
Two days later, Party President John Tamihere appears to have emailed Mariameno regarding the “urgent requirement to resolve significant financial over expenditure out of your Office.”
This letter references “issues and frustration voiced by Parliamentary Services in endeavouring to meet with you” which had now “been escalated, as is protocol” to the Party’s leadership.
“A threat has been made that this matter will be escalated to the Speaker, once that occurs, you open up your Office conduct to full Parliamentary scrutiny.”
Tamihere states there were “only three options” available to the MP which included paying the $130,000 shortfall from personal or external sources; meeting the overspend by reducing staff numbers and “applying external resources as a mixed solution; or by “drastically reducing all kaimahi as recommended by Parliamentary services.”
The Party president said if the matter could not be resolved in the next 72 hours “the Pati must move to protest its interests.”
“What does a Pati decision look like? We will be obliged to carry out Parliamentary Services recommendations to this letter.”
Ngarewa-Packer told the Herald on Monday evening the resolution to Mariameno’s budget issue involved using funds that had been designated for her 2026 budget.
Ngarewa-Packer said she had learned about some of the allegations on Friday and the party’s national council, which featured members of each electorate, had met on Sunday and agreed the documents would be shared with the wider membership.
“It had advanced too much that the membership demanded transparency.”
“This isn’t about crucifying anybody, these are the facts that our team have been able to get out.
“I have a lot of aroha for Eru and I don’t like how this has transpired but I also have a lot of aroha and commitment to the party.”
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi told the Herald late on Monday that she did not want to get into a bigger conversation about the email to members from as it was late at night and “I just need to get my head on ... and just be clear of the things that I think are worth responding to or not responding to.”
Responding to Ngarewa-Packer saying she had only been made aware of the allegations on Friday, Kapa-Kingi said: “Well you know we’re all up for integrity ... so if that’s her response, then that’s hers to live with.”
Asked if it was possible Ngarewa-Packer would have been aware of the alleged incident before Friday, Kapa-Kingi said: “I mean they’re the leaders.”
Eru Kapa-Kingi was the party’s former vice-president and a 2023 list candidate.
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was recently removed from the role as party whip, with Ngarewa-Packer taking up the position.
The reason for the demotion was unclear, with Mariameno Kapa-Kingi saying she had been enjoying her work.
In the aftermath Eru Kapa-Kingi announced the Toitū Te Tiriti protest movement - responsible for last year’s immense hīkoi to Parliament - would distance itself from Te Pāti Māori.
He claimed the party’s leadership had “effectively a dictatorship model” and condemned an alleged “ego-driven narrative” within the party that it had ownership over the Māori electorates.
Ngarewa-Packer and fellow Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi refused to address allegations of a dictatorial leadership style at a media stand-up held after the party’s much-anticipated “reset”, instead walking out.
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