Explore Te Pāti Māori's leader, background and priorities. An educational guide, not an endorsement.
Te Pāti Māori is led by two strong voices from different parts of the motu. Rawiri Waititi (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tūhoe) grew up around the East Coast and trained as a teacher, going on to lead a kura kaupapa Māori. He has worn his moko kanohi proudly into Parliament since winning the Waiariki electorate from Labour in 2020. He famously refused to wear a tie in the debating chamber, calling it a 'colonial noose', and helped change the rules so MPs can dress in cultural attire. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru) grew up in South Taranaki and spent more than two decades as chief executive of her iwi, fighting seabed mining off the Taranaki coast and winning. She entered Parliament as a list MP at the same election. Together they relaunched Te Pāti Māori as a sharper, younger, activist party that speaks bluntly about colonisation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, climate justice and tamariki in poverty. At the 2023 election the party grew to six MPs and won most of the Māori electorates. They are best known outside Parliament for organising the huge 2024-25 hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill, which brought tens of thousands of people to Wellington. Critics say their approach is too confrontational; supporters say they raise issues other parties avoid. The party has also been through a difficult time: in 2026 MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi left to start her own Te Tai Tokerau Party. For the 2026 election Te Pāti Māori says it is focusing on winning the Māori electorates rather than the party vote.