New Zealand’s Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris says he has “nothing to apologise for” despite his own party publicly expressing regret on his behalf after he was accused of making racist social media posts.
The Te Tai Tonga MP has doubled down on remarks targeting non-Māori campaigners supporting Labour’s Peeni Henare in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, dismissing the apology issued by his party leadership last week.
Speaking to Stuff on Thursday night, Ferris defended his stance, insisting he had as much mana as any other MP, including co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi. “In the Māori seats, it’s about the Māori people, Māori only,” he said, hitting back at Labour MP Willie Jackson, who called the remarks “totally unacceptable” and “racist.”
Ferris said he only agreed to delete the original post because of concerns it could affect Te Pāti Māori candidate Oriini Kaipara’s campaign. But in a late-night video monologue, he repeated the claims, saying it “blows my mind” that “Indians, Asians, Black and Pākehā” were campaigning to “take a Māori seat from Māori.”
The comments drew condemnation across Parliament, with Labour leader Chris Hipkins stressing Te Pāti Māori had assured him the statements did not reflect the party’s position, while NZ First leader Winston Peters accused Ferris of “losing the plot.”
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders apologised last week, saying:
“We wholeheartedly apologise for any hurt caused. Our movement is, and always has been, for the people. We leave nobody behind.”
Despite that, Ferris insists he will not back down.
“That’s not how we work in te ao Māori. All MPs represent their rohe and all rohe have the same mana.”
Kaipara ultimately won the by-election, defeating Henare.
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