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Late MP’s texts contradict Kapa-Kingi’s spending agreement claims

By elocal magazine
Dec 14, 2025

Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has insisted her electorate overspend was authorised, saying her office had an agreement to provide support to Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp (who passed away in June) while Kemp was unwell.

Party president John Tamihere flatly rejects that such an agreement ever existed.

In High Court filings, the party states there was no approval from Kemp for Kapa-Kingi to draw on Tāmaki Makaurau resources, and alleges Kapa-Kingi was on track to exceed her electorate budget by about $130,000.

Court documents support the party’s position. A screenshot of a text message from Kemp to co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer shows Kemp expressing alarm at the level of spending being attributed to her office. Kemp wrote:

“I can’t afford another transfer of $45k that’s just ridiculous and would mean they take $79k for five months for doing what,” followed by a screaming-cat shock emoji.

These communications provide the only direct evidence of Kemp’s position.

Yet Kapa-Kingi maintains that her staff were assisting Kemp’s electorate through mutual understanding, and that the party later reversed its position.

She has also alleged hostile behaviour and “highly offensive” remarks from Tamihere, including a threat of “utu.” The party disputes this, stating that Kapa-Kingi herself used abusive language at the same hui.

The dispute escalated into Kapa-Kingi’s demotion as party whip and the national council’s vote to expel her.

She challenged the decision, and last week the High Court reinstated her membership on an interim basis, finding significant questions about whether the expulsion process complied with the constitution.

Read more over at Stuff

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7 Comments

Most Voted

Steve

Guest

1 day ago

This is such good timing. Would you trust the lot in co governance let alone governance as they want re He Puapua in 2040.

They have not a clue about managing money, especially other peoples money.

No wonder Maori feel hard done by. There is plenty of money to help them but their own steal it from the needy.

bovverboy

Guest

1 day ago

It’s a joy to watch this mob of leeches imploding

Aileen

Guest

1 day ago

Aw, the little invert clown is arguing with the other invert clowns..in the perpetual theatre of shafting the public.

Neil

Guest

1 day ago

Clowns to the left of us

Jokers to the right

Here we are

Left wondering if anything’s true 🎼

Last edited 1 day ago by Neil

Analytica

Guest

1 day ago

So easy to claim an agreement with a now deceased person, then the problem is proving it, unless someone in the legal system can organize a public séance in the High Court to hear Takutai Tarsh Kemp’s side of the story.

Linzey

Guest

12 hours ago

Who is the “they” who “took $79,000 over 5 months for doing what?” Was it Kapa-Kingi to pay her son Eru or was it someone else? Deb Packer needs to provide some answers, if Waiteitei/Tamihere will let her…

Cath

Guest

3 hours ago

Hard to believe there would be evidence of TPM snouts in the trough – oh wait

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