Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris and Labour MP Willie Jackson.
Photo: RNZ
Te Pāti Māori has apologised for a social media post by one of its MPs, and has instructed him to remove it.
A statement from the party said it doesn’t condone the language used in the post, and it “wholeheartedly” apologised for any hurt it caused.
Labour had hit out at the post by Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris, saying it was racist and “offside” with the party leadership.
Willie Jackson told RNZ Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris needed to “grow up”.
Ferris posted on social media an image of Labour’s Arena Williams out campaigning with other Labour volunteers of different ethnicities for fellow MP Peeni Henare who is contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.
Ferris has written in the post, “This blows my mind.”
“Indians, Asians, Black [sic] and Pakeha [sic] campaigning to take a Maori [sic] seat from Maori.”
Photo: Instagram / screenshot
Jackson told RNZ Māori have relationships with all races, and “all of Labour backs Peeni”.
Ferris needed to talk to his leader, Jackson said, “who said three days ago Te Pāti Māori cares for all New Zealanders not just Māori.”
TPM co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer told RNZ the leaders don’t agree with any sentiment that is anti- tangata Tiriti.
She said she expected these sorts of attacks on the eve of the election, but she hadn’t had a chance to talk to Ferris.
She said she and co-leader Rawiri Waititi would speak to him.
“We support all people supporting Maori in this campaign.”
Te Pāti Māori said it came off the back of a “raw and difficult few weeks”, following the loss of Takutai Tarsh Kemp.
“Our team has been in the trenches, feeling the weight of constant attack and pressure, and sometimes that hurt spills over in ways that do not reflect who we are as a kaupapa or leaders.”
The statement said the Pāti Māori movement is and had always been “for the people.”
“We leave nobody behind.
“We value and appreciate the contribution that Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Moana make every day in building a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa.”
The leaders said they’d spoken with Ferris and instructed him to remove the post.
Meanwhile, Ferris was at Koroneihana with other political representatives on Thursday.
Jackson pointed out the Māori Queen had just welcomed Pacific and Central American leaders to the marae.
He said Ferris had just spoken on the marae where the Kiingitanga was trying to “bring everyone together” and then “he comes out with that rubbish”.
“He seems to be offside not only with his leader but also with the new Queen.
“He needs to grow up.”
Jackson said it was totally unacceptable and showing huge disrespect to those people who all support Māori.
“We don’t apologise in Labour for working with our different electorates, some of them Pākehā, ethnic, Pasifika – we think it’s great.”
He reiterated it was not just about Māori, it was about Aotearoa.
Jackson said he should apologise.
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