Summarised by Centrist

Political trouble may be brewing for Te Pāti Māori, according to pollster David Farrar. Party secretary Lance Norman could face jail time for missing the June 30 deadline for filing financial statements, a delay that can result in severe penalties under the Electoral Act. 

The Electoral Commission has referred Norman’s case to the police, highlighting that the filings were overdue by more than three months, a potential “corrupt practice” if no reasonable excuse is provided.

Scrutiny has also turned to the party’s co-leader MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who reportedly spent $39,209 on travel over three months. Social media posts show Ngarewa-Packer posing with a surfboard on a Hawaiian beach, sparking online speculation that the trip may have been publicly funded. “Looks like a hard working trip,” Farrar commented on Kiwiblog, questioning if taxpayer dollars covered the expense.

The Taxpayers’ Union has been seeking clarity from Parliamentary Services about the source of these funds. Their request was denied, leading to renewed calls for transparency in the use of public money. 

Norman’s delayed filings and Ngarewa-Packer’s travel expenses are fuelling ongoing discussions about accountability within Te Pāti Māori.

Read more over at Kiwiblog here and here

Image: Instagram