In what can only be described as a bombshell escalation in the ongoing scandal engulfing the Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA), union organiser Matt McCarten has unleashed a trove of documents that shred the denials and defamatory attacks from MUMA’s leadership.
These files, including emails, letters, trespass notices and a fresh Employment Relations Authority (ERA) application, paint a picture of systemic bullying, union-busting tactics and a desperate coverup orchestrated at the highest levels. With MUMA’s Chief Executive Tania Rangiheuea (wife of Labour MP Willie Jackson) at the centre of multiple complaints, and her defenders now exposed as liars, the charade is well and truly over.
In the last few days, MUMA and its subsidiaries, including Radio Waatea, have launched vicious ad hominem attacks against McCarten and myself, accusing us of everything from “hoodwinking” to being “ranters” without a shred of evidence. They’ve dodged the serious allegations of bullying, cronyism, and unlawful interference in union activities, opting instead for smear campaigns. But McCarten’s ‘receipts’ – a comprehensive dossier of correspondence and complaints – prove beyond doubt that the accusations are not only real but have been actively suppressed.
As the documents reveal, MUMA’s attempts to trespass union representatives, interrogate staff about union membership and deny the existence of grievances are not just unethical: they’re potentially illegal. And with 19 claims now filed against MUMA in the ERA, plus two more involving Radio Waatea and Matthew Tukaki, the walls are closing in on Willie Jackson’s “manky missus” and her enablers.
The Story So Far: A Quick Recap
To bring readers up to speed, here’s a bullet-point summary of the saga as covered in our previous exclusives:
- Initial Exposé on Bullying and Union-Busting: In our first report Exclusive: Willie Jackson Accused of Bullying, Union-Busting, and Cronyism to Protect His Missus, we revealed allegations from multiple MUMA staff accusing Tania Rangiheuea of bullying, including verbal abuse, forced pay cuts and ridiculing Māori tikanga in the workplace. Willie Jackson was implicated in using his influence to shield her, including issuing trespass notices against union reps like Matt McCarten to block collective bargaining. Sources described a toxic environment where staff were reduced to tears, with Jackson’s cronyism enabling a cover-up.
- McCarten’s Boardroom Bomb and Media Silence: The follow-up Willie Jackson’s MUMA Mess: McCarten Drops the Boardroom Bomb on Hipkins – Legacy Media Still Snoozing detailed McCarten’s letter to the MUMA board, outlining unresolved grievances and demanding accountability. He accused the board, and Labour leader Chris Hipkins, of ignoring staff complaints. We highlighted how legacy media outlets like Stuff and NZ Herald have buried the story, protecting Labour elites despite mounting evidence.
- Twelve Days of Denial and Ongoing Cover-Up: In our latest update before this Willie Jackson’s MUMA Scandal: Twelve Days On and Legacy Media Still Protecting Labour’s Elite, we noted the radio silence from mainstream journalists, even as new leaks emerged. MUMA’s attacks intensified but they failed to address core issues like the bullying review that was confirmed to have happened, exposing a “weapons-grade coverup”.
These reports have been met with furious rebuttals from MUMA allies, including articles on Waatea News accusing me of learning “nothing” from past controversies Cameron Slater Has Learned Nothing and That’s the Problem and claiming McCarten “hoodwinked” me without fact-checking, as well as Duncan Garner Forget How to Fact-Check? McCarten Hoodwinks Another Ranter. Notably, none of these responses engage with the substance of the allegations. Instead, they’ve resorted to character assassination while ignoring leaks that prove the bullying review did occur Exclusive: Documents Expose Willie Jackson’s Trespass Shenanigans to Bust Union and Shield His Manky Missus and a massive coverup was underway Exclusive: Explosive Leaked Documents Prove Willie Jackson’s Wife’s Bullying Review Did Happen and Expose a Weapons-Grade Coverup.
The New Documents: A Timeline of Deception and Desperation
The freshly released appendices (A through M), along with an ERA application form and a updated complaints schedule dated 17 December 2025, provide a chronological blow-by-blow of MUMA’s misconduct. I’ll break them down.
Starting with Appendix A (25 July 2025), McCarten, as union secretary for One Union, initiates bargaining for a Collective Employment Agreement (CEA) with MUMA’s Mike Tukaki. He attaches documents outlining union access rights and emphasises a “respectful manner”. This sets the stage for unionisation efforts amid staff complaints about pay and treatment.
MUMA’s response? Appendix B (also 25 July) sees Willie Jackson, as chair of Ngā Whare Waatea Marae (a MUMA affiliate), threaten a trespass notice against McCarten, citing “breach of tikanga and kaupapa Māori”. Ironically, the document accuses McCarten of disruption while ignoring the underlying staff grievances that prompted union action.
By Appendix C (28 July), Tukaki doubles down, claiming the trespass was due to McCarten’s “bad faith behaviour” during a meeting ostensibly about an individual staff issue. Tukaki admits staff approached McCarten with pay concerns during his prior role as HR Manager at MUMA – directly contradicting later denials that such complaints existed.
Appendix D and the updated MUMA Complaints Schedule (17 December) are the smoking guns. McCarten lists 13 specific complaints from March 2025 onward, many involving Rangiheuea directly: administrators abused in one-on-one meetings, forced pay cuts, ridiculed requests for Māori tikanga, retaliatory complaints and denied pay rises despite recommendations. Status updates show several escalated to personal grievances (PGs), with McCarten advising unionisation as the path forward. The schedule notes initial contacts from Deborah Mahuta-Coyle and Tukaki himself, who begged McCarten to handle cases – including Tukaki’s own resignation threat over Rangiheuea’s “bullying”.
Emails in Appendices E and F (27–28 July) show McCarten proposing compromises on access, warning that police and the ERA would side with the union. Jackson’s response in Appendix G (28 July) rejects this, escalating tensions.
By Appendix H (17 August), McCarten puts bargaining on hold amid other disputes, but the union push resumes. Appendix I (30 October) sees McCarten addressing pre-mediation, refuting claims he initiated contact with staff and detailing how Tukaki and others pulled him back in.
Appendix J (8 December) records a union branch hui with 15 members (names redacted for fear of repercussions), resolving to challenge the trespass via the ERA.
Appendix K (7 August) captures McCarten’s email to Tukaki and managers, reporting interrogations about union membership – a clear breach of the Employment Relations Act (ERA). He attaches union protocols and warns of $20,000 penalties per breach.
Appendix L (12 December) escalates: McCarten reports renewed interrogations, misinformation (e.g., union is unregistered) and a confidentiality breach where a manager leaked PG details. He attaches letters to the board and union registration proof.
Appendix M (12–14 December) includes Tukaki’s defensive reply, calling McCarten’s reports “constant lying and harassment”, while McCarten retorts with specifics on Tukaki and others engaging staff.
Capping it off, the ERA Application Form (17 December, Ref no. 3432845) from One Union seeks resolution on union access, bargaining initiation and breaches of good faith. It names MUMA and Tukaki, confirming the disputes are live.
The Liars Exposed: Tukaki Brothers and Jackson in the Spotlight
These documents demolish the denials from MUMA’s key players. Mike Tukaki, who went on air with Dale Husband on Radio Waatea claiming “no foundation” to the allegations, is proven a liar. He co-authored a PR strategy with Deborah Mahuta-Coyle to manage the bullying fallout and personally begged McCarten to take on cases he now says never existed.
His brother, Matthew Tukaki, has previous form as a fantasist and fabulist. He’s falsified his CV, claimed stolen valour by wearing unearned medals and peddled falsehoods on social media denying the scandals. His claims that all allegations are false are now rubble.
Willie Jackson and Tania Rangiheuea remain silent on specifics, hiding behind proxies while the ERA piles up claims: 19 against MUMA and two more tied to Radio Waatea and Matthew Tukaki.
Dale Husband’s challenge for a debate? McCarten has accepted – anytime, anywhere. I predict it’ll be dodged, as truth bombs keep dropping.
Legacy Media’s Shameful Silence
What’s astonishing is the ostrich-like stance of legacy media. While they’ve chased trivial stories, the Good Oil has doggedly uncovered layer after layer of this scandal. Put to shame by independent journalism, their protection of Labour’s elite is glaring.
There’s much more to come: leaks, hearings and revelations that could topple careers.
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