Māori Party Accuses National Party Supporter of Invading Candidate’s Home
A recent incident involving an alleged home invasion has sparked controversy and raised tensions between political parties in New Zealand. The Māori Party claims that a supporter of the National Party invaded the home of one of their candidates, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. This is not the first time Maipi-Clarke has been targeted, as her home was reportedly invaded and vandalized last Friday.
Te Pāti Māori president, John Tamihere, released a statement on Wednesday alleging that Maipi-Clarke’s home was invaded again on Wednesday morning. The party claimed that an elderly Pākeha man, who is a known advocate and campaigner for the National Party, trespassed on her property. In response, the National Party spokesperson denied the allegations and stated that they were not aware of these incidents until Te Pāti Māori made them public.
The Māori Party expressed dissatisfaction with the actions taken by the police, accusing them of failing to address the politically motivated attacks on Maipi-Clarke seriously. They also accused the police of treating the Māori Party differently due to their race. However, the National Party spokesperson emphasized that they reject racism and any suggestion of engagement in race-baiting.
President John Tamihere appeared on AM on Thursday morning to provide more details about the alleged home invasion. He stated that this was the fourth time Maipi-Clarke had been targeted in recent weeks. Tamihere stood by the late-night statement and described the incident as a mature Pākeha man entering the candidate’s property, assuming she was not home due to her absence for campaigning purposes. According to Tamihere’s account, the man quickly left when confronted by a family member.
Tamihere also claimed that the man’s house displayed National Party billboards, which led him to deduce the man’s political affiliation. He criticized the police for not investigating whether the handwriting of the man matched that of a threatening message sent during a prior break-in. When asked if he believed the same person was responsible for last week’s burglary, Tamihere referred to it as a police matter to be determined.
ACT Party leader David Seymour refuted the Māori Party’s claims, stating that there was no evidence to support their accusation implicating other party leaders. Seymour emphasized the importance of not politicizing acts of abuse or violence and cautioned against sensationalized accusations.
In a separate development, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins accused right-leaning parties, such as National, ACT, and New Zealand First, of targeting minorities as a tactic to gain votes. Hipkins cited examples of alleged race-baiting by these parties and called on National leader Christopher Luxon to condemn racist comments made by a New Zealand First candidate. Hipkins believes that these actions fuel political division.
As the incident continues to be investigated by the police, further information is expected to be released later on Thursday morning. The political tension surrounding this incident underscores the importance of maintaining a balanced and respectful discourse during election campaigns.
