Podcasts about Meka Whaitiri

Yesterday Andrew Bayly, the former Commerce and ACC Minister, revealed he had resigned from his ministerial portfolios on Friday night after grabbing a staffers upper arm during a discussion that's been described as “lively”. It comes after a messy public relations failure in October, when it was revealed Bayly had repeatedly called a worker a loser during a visit to a South Island business. He apologised and kept the job, but this was one step too far. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking he relied on Andrew Bayly to do the right thing, and he did: “Look, honestly, he was doing a very good job making good contributions in two very technical portfolios. I'm sure Scott Simpson will carry that on. But look, the reality is you've got to have some standards, Mike. And you know, I watched the last lot go through a series of Ministers and it wasn't either clear... It was clear in this case and, and importantly, he recognised that he had met his own standards and that's his decision, so I respect that.” There's a lot of people complaining that Andrew Bailey shouldn't have had to go, shouldn't have felt that he had to go, but I can't imagine a situation where I would be touched by my boss during a lively discussion – and we have plenty of them. I cannot imagine him grabbing my arm and saying listen, you're wrong. We have very lively discussions with lots of argy bargy and neither of us hold back, none of us within the conversation hold back. I just can't imagine a situation where I would be held by the arm as a way of stressing the importance of the point that I was making. If my boss ever did, I can't imagine calling for his head. I'd say ‘get your bloody hands off me' or something like that. But if the employee didn't like Bayly and found them difficult to work with, then the former minister gave him an absolute sitter of an opportunity to get rid of him. So Bayly's gone from cabinet, but not from his electoral seat. The leader of the opposition is crowing. Chris Hipkins has accused the Pime Minister of handling the situation poorly, sitting on the information for two days before doing anything about it. Then, having Andrew Bayly himself resigned, not telling the public about it for several more days, then sneaking out before jumping on a plane to escape overseas. Chris Hipkins own words. He added “I think people will see that for what it is”. Nicola Willis, on the other hand, says it's about showing humanity, allowing Bayly to tell his family and come to terms with his professional demise before it became the public fodder it has become. Look, it's just politics. National certainly uses the departure of successive Labour ministers to point to Labour's lack of credentials to govern. There were a lot of them. Iain Lees-Galloway and on we went. Stuart Nash, Meka Whaitiri resigned to go to Te Pati Māori, Kiri Allan – there were a lot of ministers whose careers ended up being in the toilet. So what's good for the goose is good for the gander and all that. If National can make hay whilst in opposition as Labour ministers came and went, then when they're in opposition, they can do the same when National ministers are doing much the same. I really think the hoo-ha about a couple of days is neither here nor there. I don't know what the fuss is about that. Darleen Tana was suspended from Parliament on the 14th of March. She was finally got rid of on the 22nd of October, all while drawing her parliamentary salary. Two or three days I can live with, but Andrew Bayly, I'm sorry, did have to go. Parliament has had a history of being a toxic workplace and you can't have a minister being a part of that if you want to change the culture. For those complaining it's a sign of wokeness and an overreaction, really? I don't recall anybody saying that when Labour ministers were in strife. And I really don't think laying hands on staffers is considered acceptable business practice in this day and age. He had to go, and he has. End of story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kaipara District Councillor Pera Paniora speaks about her council's decision to scrap its Māori ward, and commentators Hinurewa Te Hau and Meka Whaitiri discuss the latest in politics.

With Nicola Willis, Meka Whaitiri and Liam Hehir.

The race for the huge east coast electorate - Ikaroa-Rāwhiti - is wide open, after Meka Whaitiri's shock defection to Te Paati Maori. Ms Whaitiri has held the seat for the last decade but may have scuppered her chances of another term by switching tickets at the last minute.  She met with her new Labour competitor for a candidates debate in Upper Hutt this week.  Political reporter Anneke Smith was there. 

The Maori Party have surged ahead in the latest Roy Morgan political poll. The party have reached 7 percent, a historically high level of support 13 weeks out from the October election. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Maori Party essentially got ahead by doing nothing. "Other than making a noise and other than having a defection from Labour for Meka Whaitiri, they haven't done a lot. I don't believe the Maori Party would return 7 percent in the polls come October." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you reckon Chris Hipkins regrets the deal he did with Grant and Jacinda late last year?   Do you think Jacinda had an inkling that things were spiralling out of control, both economically and internally, and thought "tell you what, a book deal, a King's Honour and wandering around a few universities waxing lyrical about kindness looks way more fun than this cluster"? Poor, old Hipkins can't even leave the country without yet another minister imploding. We must be careful, of course, in a world where our mental health has taken on new significance, personal tumult is not to be dismissed. But the Kiri Allen story appears to have two different chapters to it. Her personal leave is for personal issues, but there's also a group of people seconded to her office that clearly couldn't stand it and bailed early. There is a pattern here, given she is not the first minister to face staffing issues. Meka Whaitiri was accused of assaulting one of her staff, Anna Lorck had trouble and who can forget Gaurav Sharma.   In the meantime, in China poor, old Chris, still frozen in fear from having to talk about foreign matters, was bailed up about errant behaviour back home.   He said concern had been raised, although there was no official complaint, as though that somehow justifies or explains it. You have to wonder how many more fall between now and October 14th.   Jan Tinetti still awaits her verdict from the Privileges Committee. What must her staff think of her, given they gave her the warning about correcting the mess she created in the house? Michael Wood, like Allen, is off on personal leave, having imploded under the weight of his hubris. Stuart Nash got warned and sacked and warned and quit - or whatever the order was. Now, Hipkins has to rumble his way back to the country via Manila and Darwin to face yet another ministerial crisis. Here is a thought - could part of it actually be on him? Wood was a busy minister portfolio-wise. Post sacking all his work got distributed to other already busy ministers. Why? Because Hipkins, having learned from Tinetti and the Ginny Andersen promotions, knew he had no talent left so he had no choice. Which brings us back to Ardern. Good leaders, actual bona fide leaders, leave with the place in better shape than they arrived. You don't bugger the place up and then bail leaving a trail of destruction. Yet, here we are. One question left - how much do you want to bet the carnage ain't over yet?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Ikaroa Rāwhiti candiate for Te Pāti Māori, Heather Te Au Skipworth, has confirmed she will no longer be standing for the party. Ms Skipworth was announced as the candidate for the eastern Māori seat before being replaced by ex-Labour minister Meka Whaitiri. At the announcement of Ms Whaitiri's candidacy, Ms Skipworth said she would step aside to "liberate" her cousin. Te Au Skipworth spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.  

A big question for Chris Hipkins over whether to remove Michael Wood from cabinet. Wood remains stood down as Transport Minister after it was revealed he was told to sell his Auckland Airport shares no fewer than 12 separate times. The opposition is calling for Wood to resign or be fired, but Wood says he has no plans to go. Former Cabinet Minister Peter Dunne, who was himself forced to resign from Cabinet in 2013 after he was found to have withheld information from an inquiry into a leak of a GCSB report, told Mike Hosking he agrees Wood needs to go. He says the recent controversies over Michael Wood, Jan Tinetti, Stuart Nash, Kiri Allan and Meka Whaitiri have detracted from Hipkins' leadership. Jan Tinetti will appear before the Privileges Committee today, accused of misleading the House over attendance figures. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Mark Leishman about coverage putting the Loafers Lodge disaster in context - even in the midst of chaos and confusion, some impressive political fact-checking, whether the media needs to change tack reporting economists' forecasts - and an exclusive interview with a party-swapping MP which wasn't hard to get.

Meka Whaiti's defection brings Labour's solid 65-strong majority down to 62, opening it up to accusations of disunity and instability. Lumping in Elizabeth Kerekere's resignation from the Greens, National's Christopher Luxon has been criticising the left as a 'coalition of chaos' - but the story on the right is not straightforward either.  The shifting of the political sands - in the wake of two MPs quitting their parties - has drawn more definitive battle lines regardless - and Luxon's decision to rule out Te Pāti Māori has given prospective partner ACT more leverage for negotiations.  In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson surveys the battle lines after Meka Whaitiri's defection and National's rejection of Te Pāti Māori.

Christopher Luxon has ruled out working with te Pāti Māori, lambasted the “coalition of chaos” and invoked “separatism”. Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire assess the strategy, the timing and the rhetoric. Plus: the latest on Meka Whaitiri and the reasons for her defection, the resignation of Elizabeth Kerekere and what it means for the Greens, and important discourse on the oiling of Charles III, king of New Zealand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   The King's Coronation: 10/10 Its value was in its beauty, its history and the fact most of us had never seen one before. It was everything the royal family and Britain do well.   Defence: 7/10 The Government's best moment of the week by a long way. A practical solution, handing out major pay rises to stop people leaving.   Meka Whaitiri: 2/10 All that's wrong with politics these days. Displays of contempt, the Māori Party lied to the speaker and the rules around desertion clearly don't work. This is the part that was missed - if the numbers were different in the parliament, this could have been a constitutional crisis.   Kiri Allan, Jan Tinetti, Meka Whaitiri and Willie Jackson: 2/10 Between their various scandals, misdeeds and sloppiness it simply reminds us what a low rent lot we have running the place.   Wayne Smith: 6/10 I think he may have a point about rugby. And given what he did for the All Blacks and the Black Ferns, who can argue with him?   Jason Paris: 6/10  His rant was driven by passion, which is no bad thing, but cheating is a deliberate act. And on that he has no evidence, hence, the trouble he has potentially found himself in.   CO2: 2/10 Another fallout from the Marsden closure. A country that can't brew its beer is not a proper country, is it?   The rich pay more tax open letter: 1/10 I despair.     LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's leader Christopher Luxon has unequivocally ruled out working with Te Pāti Māori to form a government after the election. It follows a turbulent period for the parties on the left - with Meka Whaitiri defecting from Labour and pledging allegiance instead to the Māori Party. Here's our deputy political editor Craig McCulloch.

 Associate Professor Dr. Lara Greaves talks to Rachel about Meka Whaitiri's exit from Labour, Christopher Luxon saying he won't work with Te Pāti Māori, the Green Party's internal situation with Elizabeth Kerekere's resignation and the political implications of the King's Coronation. Whakarongo mai nei!

Welcome to the Thursday show! On Political Commentary, Associate Professor Dr. Lara Greaves talks to Rachel about Meka Whaitiri's exit from Labour, Christopher Luxon saying he won't work with Te Pāti Māori, the Green Party's internal situation with Elizabeth Kerekere's resignation and the political implications of the King's Coronation. Delaney Mes has returned from the food paradise that is Japan, and tells us about it on Breakfast Food- as well as gicing the gift of food this Mother's Day. Mo etc. dials in to talk about her new EP Buoys. Whakarongo mai nei!

Ex-Minister Meka Whaitiri has made a dramatic Parliamentary debut as an independent MP - her first time coming face-to-face with her former Labour colleagues. Her entrance saw the leaders of Te Pāti Māori booted from the debating chamber for conducting a pōwhiri without permission. Here's our deputy political editor Craig McCulloch.

The National Party has labelled Te Pāti Māori attempts to welcome Meka Whaitiri into the house with a whakawātea yesterday as grandstanding. [picture id="4L9LAK5_Christopher_Luxon_Meka_Whaitiri_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"] It was the first day back in the house for Ms Whaitiri after leaving the Labour Party and giving up her ministerial portfolios. Te Pāti Māori informed other parties of their intentions to perform the whakāwatea, but hadn't sought permission, leading to speaker Adrian Rurawhe ejecting Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer from the house. The National Party is still eager for Meka Whaitiri to release correspondence she had with the speaker announcing her resignation from the Labour Party, which somehow didn't trigger the waka jumping laws. National Party leader Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Opposition parties are sharpening their attacks on Labour, painting a picture of chaos and instability, as senior government ministers doggedly try to "move on" from the Meka Whaitiri controversy. [picture id="4L99VLM_230509_15_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"] The rebel MP came face to face with her former colleagues for the first time at Parliament since her dramatic defection to Te Pāti Māori last week, after refusing their calls and requests for a meeting. National says Labour's "personnel problems" show a Prime Minister who's not in control of his caucus, and one who would still be willing to work with the Māori Party and the Greens. Political editor Jane Patterson reports.

Andrew Little and Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking to wrap the week's political news. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whanau Ora's Chair is claiming Maori women are looked down upon in leadership positions. Whanau Ora believes Maori who are in leadership positions are deemed as bossy, for standing up for their community which is often under-represented. Commissioning Agency Chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait says it's important cultural leaders advocate for their communities. "They should be able to work at all levels and know that they're making a contribution without anybody targeting them."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meka Whaitiri returns to Wellington today where she will have to to face up to her former party in the House. Yesterday the The Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins confirmed portfolio changes as a result of the MP's resignation. [picture id="4MEN2CI_copyright_image_256306" crop="16x10" layout="full"] Kieran McAnulty will become cyclone recovery minister. Chris Hipkins spoke to Corin Dann.

Former Labour Party minister Meka Whaitiri has made her first significant interview since the day she resigned from the Labour Party and joined the Māori Party. She told TVNZ this morning she wasn't crossing the floor at parliament for political reasons but for what she describes as a long-held calling. Meka Whaitiri said she "didn't feel she was heard" in Labour and believes that will be different at Te Pāti Māori. [picture id="4LNOFXH_RNZD5704_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"] RNZ political deputy editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Corin Dann.

Chris Hipkins isn't too bothered, about Meka Whaitiri revealing she no longer trusts him. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking it's a moot point. “People can make their own judgements about that, that's kind of irrelevant anyway.” LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori livestreams from local marae don't usually attract much mainstream media interest. But the defection of government minister Meka Whaitiri on Wednesday was carried by every major outlet after Whakaata Māori's late-night scoop sparked a media scramble. It also created a “constitutional cluster” that needed clarity.

Despite the best efforts of Parliament's speaker to explain exactly why defecting MP Meka Whaitiri still has a job, some of us are more confused than ever about the tangled web of rules, laws and standing orders that have come into play. The bottom line is that Adrian Rurawhe is adamant the former Labour MP has not ticked all the legal boxes to vacate her electorate seat. So she's allowed to stay on in Parliament as an independent - in cosy proximity to Te Pāti Māori. The speaker is refusing to release any correspondence between them. Otago University law profession Andrew Geddis explains the situation.

Meka Whaitiri's explosive exit from Labour is still rocking Parliament - as Opposition MPs call on her to give up her seat altogether. Parliament's Speaker though has reaffirmed the renegade can stay on as an MP - and will be regarded as an independent. Here's our deputy political editor Craig McCulloch.

On this weeks panel Corin and Ingrid were joined by NZ Herald political editor Claire Trevett, and RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson.

Parliament's Speaker has confirmed Meka Whaitiri will move to Te Pati Maori and legally remain a member of parliament as an independent. He's refused calls from the National Party and ACT for communications between Ms Whaitiri and the Speaker to be disclosed, but did explain that her message did not meet the definition requiring her to be expelled from Parliament. National's shadow leader of the house Michael Woodhouse has said Whaitiri has no moral authority to stay in her Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat. He spoke to Corin Dann.

Meka Whaitiri has defected from the Labour Party to join Te Pāti Māori. It's a wild week back in the House and 1News' political team is all over it. Plus: changes to the Clean Car Discount scheme, and an apparent dawn raids revival in 2023. Featuring 1News political editor Jessica Mutch McKay, political reporter Cushla Norman, digital political reporter Felix Desmarais and political producer Lillian Hanly. Do you have a burning political question? Want to hear more from us on a particular topic? Send your feedback to InsideParliament@tvnz.co.nz. Head to 1News.co.nz for more insight, and follow 1News on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Instagram: instagram.com/1newsnz/ Twitter: twitter.com/1NewsNZ Facebook: facebook.com/1NewsNZ Liked this episode? Tell a friend to listen. 1News Inside Parliament is available on all good - and even average - podcasting apps.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   Strikes: 2/10 I get the frustration. But whether you are here in Britain or home in NZ the teachers, the nurses, anything connected to a union, are never happy. Being happy counts - try it sometime. It's good for you.   Bonding for nurses: 6/10 Another practical idea from National this week. I'm not 100% convinced it'll work but it's better than what we have.   London: 8/10 The greatest city in the world. It's a magnet, it's polite, it's old, it's beautiful and it's a place that makes you feel good.   The Coronation: 8/10 The excitement and anticipation is palpable. No one does the flash stuff like the Brits and the royals.   Monica Galletti: 7/10 Good to meet and be reminded of the astonishing number of Kiwis who are out here in the world hitting it out of the park.   Meka Whaitiri: 1/10 What a disgrace.   The Māori Party: 6/10 What a coup.   The feebate scandal: 3/10 Another lie. They said it would be fiscally neutral, which they could never claim, given they didn't have a clue as to who would buy what. It's been the wealthy being subsidised by the not-so-wealthy to buy Teslas. How mad cap does it get?   The Invite: 10/10 To be the only New Zealand representative from the media in The Abbey tomorrow is about as good as it gets. What an honour.   LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big news: The MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and government minister, Meka Whaitiri, has jumped from the Labour Party to the Māori Party. Were Toby Manhire, Ben Thomas, and Annabelle Lee-Mather as blindsided as Chris Hipkins, as he lived it large in London ahead of the Coronation? What exactly were her reasons for defecting? How damaging is it to the government? And, if she has really notified the Speaker that she has quit Labour, doesn't the waka jumping law dictate that she should no longer be an MP at all? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an election year bombshell, Labour minister Meka Whaitiri has jumped ship, her shock defection blindsiding her own caucus - including the Prime Minister. She remains in Parliament as an independent MP - but intends to contest her Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat this election for Te Pāti Māori. Opposition MPs are now questioning why she has not been booted from her electorate and Parliament under the waka-jumping provision. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch has the story, and RNZ political editor Jane Patterson joins Lisa Owen with the latest analysis. 

With Meka Whaitiri deciding to resign from the Labour Party, and immediately join Te Pati Maori, electoral law experts thought that would trigger her seat to be immediately vacated. Under party hopping rules in the Electoral Act, the case seemed to be clear cut. But the speaker, Adrian Rurawhe, announced that Meka Whaitiri would remain in Parliament, but now as an independent MP. The legal ramifications have caused some confusion, includng to University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis, who spoke with Corin Dann.

Meka Whaitiri's defection from Labour has thrown wide open the contest for the normally safe Labour seat of lkaroa-Rawhiti. Ms Whaitiri remains in Parliament as an independent MP - but intends to contest her seat, which spans much of the east of the North Island, for Te Pati Maori. It's also focused attention on Labour's Maori caucus, which now faces some close races in several Maori electorates.

The Prime Minister says he's still not heard from Meka Whaitiri a day after she walked from the Labour Party. Chris Hipkins says he does not believe Ms Whaitiri's snap defection indicates the Labour Party has let Maori down.

Former Labour Party MP and government minister Meka Whaitiri says her whakapapa was calling her home, sparking her switch to Te Pati Maori. The 58-year-old MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti says the decision wasn't made lightly. Ms Whaitiri says she hopes to continue to serve her community, and she's proud to join an unapologetic Maori political movement. Te Pati Maori co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, spoke with Corin Dann.

Shock of Meka Whaitiri's switch to Te Pati Maori later turned to confusion, after the Speaker ruled she can remain in Parliament as an independent MP. RNZ political editor Jane Patterson spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss

In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Mark Leishman about Meka Whaitiri's defection to Te Pāti Māori taking the media by surprise, a media organisation and a politician censured for inaccuracy on important health matters - and media coverage of an airline PR stunt.

What a sordid, sloppy mess, eh? Meka Whaitiri is off, we still don't know why and, somehow, she escapes the party hopping laws, so gets to stay on as an MP. Does that, or does that not, sum up the malaise and general mess with which this country is currently run? Poor old Megan Woods yesterday on the show didn't have a clue and, as it turns out, who can blame her? No one had a clue. How can you have a senior player in your party and have literally no idea they are bailing and, when they do bail, no idea why? It speaks very poorly of Whaitiri. Not telling anyone is the height of rudeness. The fact Kiri Allen was dispatched to try and get some details, and failed, tells you that must have been one spectacularly dysfunctional relationship. What does it say about Chris Hipkins leadership that he didn't have a clue? What does it say about Whaitiri's mindset that she didn't think it necessary to offer any explanation to anyone? She must have approached the Māori party because if you were the Māori Party, why would you think of ringing up an MP who has given no indication of being disgruntled? Or do the Māori Party just ring up all Māori MP's all the time, just in case they want to jump? To be fair to the Māori Party this is a coup, and a good one. It gives them some credit, it gives them headlines and it gives them renewed hope in the election. Then we have the so-called party hopping laws. I thought we had dealt with this? I thought Winston Peters had railed endlessly about the shabby way some MP's treat the system? And yet all these years after Turia and Alamein Kopu, here we are still watching them watch their back, feather their nests, protect their interests and collect the taxpayer's money. From a broader point of view this is a Government in its death throes. The economy is shot, the previous leader has run for the hills, the imagery around their promises and delivery is laughable and now another minister has up and scarpered. In a way, they must be secretly longing for October 14 to be put out of their misery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former United Future Leader Peter Dunne says the Meka Whaitiri saga has exposed the failures of the waka-jumping ban. Dunne, who defected from Labour himself in 1994, told Mike Hosking the legislation clearly doesn't work and needs to be repealed. “What it shows is the complete nonsensical nature of the waka-jumping legislation, because it's never been effectively triggered, even when there's clear-cut cases.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a surprise move Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has announced she has left Labour and will stand instead for Te Pati Maori. She will not be ejected from Parliament under "waka jumping" legislation. RNZ's Political Editor Jane Patterson speaks with Kathryn.

The government minister Meka Whaitiri has formally announced her defection from Labour. She will stand for Te Pati Maori in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate, which she currently holds. Speaking at Waipatu Marae in Hastings, Ms Whaitiri said the decision to cross the floor was not an easy one, but was the right one. She said her resignation from Labour is effective immediately, and she will sit with Te Pati Maori when it returns to parliament. RNZ's Maori news editor, Jamie Tahana speaks with Kathryn.

Top stories this morning... In a surprise move, government minister Meka Whaitiri is set to resign from Labour and join Te Pati Maori. A court has ruled a woman who suffered mental stress after her former partner shared a sex video, is entitled to help from ACC. The car industry says changes to to the Clean Car Discount will result in prices increasing by thousands.

In a surprise move the government minister Meka Whaitiri is set to resign from Labour and join Te Pati Maori. RNZ understands Ms Whaitiri, who has been MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti since a by-election in 2013, will make the announcement later this morning at Waipatu Marae in Hastings. Speaking from London the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he hadn't been told. In a text message to Morning Report Te pati Maori President John Tamahere said in response to our inquiries "Well all will be revealed at Waipatu marae this morning after our tikanga is observed." RNZ political editor Jane Patterson spoke with Ingird Hipkiss.

In an extraordinary move the Labour Minister Meka Whaitiri is ditching her party to stand for Te Pati Maori in October's general election. The Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP, will make the announcement at 9:30 on Wednesday at Waipatu Marae in Hastings. RNZ Maori News Director Jamie Tahana spoke with Corin Dann

In a surprise move the government minister Meka Whaitiri is set to resign from Labour and join Te Pati Maori. RNZ understands Ms Whaitiri, who has been MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti since a by-election in 2013, will make the announcement at 9:30 on Wednesday at Waipatu Marae in Hastings. National leader Christopher Luxon spoke with Corin Dann.

Te Pati Maori is celebrating a win today as Labour Minister Meka Whaitiri shifts allegiance and ditches Labour. The Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP will stand for Te Pati Maori in October's general election. Former National and New Zealand First MP Tau Henare spoke with Corin Dann.

In a surprise move the government minister Meka Whaitiri is set to resign from Labour and join Te Pati Maori. RNZ understands Ms Whaitiri, who has been MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti since a by-election in 2013, will make the announcement later this morning at Waipatu Marae in Hastings. The Prime Minister says he has not spoken to Whaitiri yet, and says her departure is not confirmed. 

MPs Megan Woods and Mark Mitchell joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast to wrap the week's political news. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meka Whaitiri is expected to resign and stand as a candidate for the Māori Party in the upcoming election. The Customs Minister is expected to make an announcement at Waipatu Marae in Hastings in a couple of hours. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he's left a message with Whaitiri, and he'd expect her to return his call if she has something significant to say. Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking the Labour Party has been caught completely off guard. “It is rather unprecedented to see somebody that holds ministerial portfolios openly musing about going to another party.” LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.