Matua Kahurangi
Just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes.
Te Pāti Māori has officially tossed aside any remaining credibility in favour of deceit, division and deliberate misinformation.
In what can only be described as a malicious and spineless act, the party posted a completely fabricated quote on social media, attributing to Finance Minister Nicola Willis the words:
“Survivors should get zero dollars because its not our problem.”
This quote is a lie. Nicola Willis never said it, never implied it, and never gave anyone a reason to believe she thought anything of the sort. This wasn’t a case of selective editing or taking words out of context. It was a total invention, pushed out publicly and without remorse.
And why? To incite outrage? To vilify a political opponent? To whip up their base using the same divisive, racially loaded tactics they’ve leaned on for years?
This is not advocacy. It is character assassination through disinformation. Te Pāti Māori has gone from political party to online agitator, using lies and racial hostility as weapons to bully, smear and distract.
Nicola Willis responded with justified anger. She reminded the public that the government had just announced $774 million in redress for abuse in state care, including increased payments for survivors. Te Pāti Māori took this progress and twisted it into a vile attack built on fiction.
This is not the politics of progress. It is the politics of poison. Talk about dirty politics.
Te Pāti Māori have a well-established pattern of targeting those who do not fit their ideological mould, especially white women in positions of power. It is a cynical tactic, dressed up as social justice but executed with a disturbing zeal for division. They shout down their opponents as racist while engaging in it themselves.
The refusal to remove the false post or issue an apology speaks volumes. This is not a mistake. It is a deliberate strategy. One that relies not on facts or reason, but on rage and resentment.
It is also deeply damaging. Misinformation like this corrodes public trust, erodes the quality of political debate and distracts from the real issues affecting Māori communities. If Te Pāti Māori were serious about change, they would be focused on solutions. Instead, they have chosen to peddle lies and stir conflict.
Other political parties should not stay silent. If this is allowed to pass without condemnation, then disinformation will become just another tool in the political arsenal. That should alarm everyone, regardless of party allegiance.
Te Pāti Māori had the chance to be a genuine voice for Māori in Parliament. But they have chosen to be provocateurs, arsonists in our political conversation. They do not speak for all Māori, and they certainly do not speak for decency, honesty or accountability.
New Zealanders deserve better than this.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
