Shane Jones’ ‘gift’ welcomed at Rātana, as NZ First rules out Hipkins and Te Pāti Māori

Friday, 23 January 2026

The Government braced for a bruising at Rātana, but a $10 million “gift” smoothed the Māori-Crown relationship.

That gift, from NZ First’s Shane Jones, was warmly welcomed by speakers at Rātana Pā - as debate swirled about NZ First’s own potential coalition relationships. But leader Winston Peters has firmly ruled out working with Te Pāti Māori or with Chris Hipkins.

Politicians arrived at Rātana Pā on Friday to the classic and colourful Rātana brass band welcome. With the election date now in sight, and tensions between Māori and the coalition Government still simmering away, many at Rātana had expected ministers to receive the hard word when they arrived at the pā.

Outgoing Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe, who is a leader at Rātana - and lives just minutes from the church - told Stuff that there were many issues which leaders were wanting to discuss on Friday.

“I think there will be some very clear messages to the Government.

“They have been rolling back health initiatives, and education. Some of the things this Government have done are, I think, are just petty… like removing Māori words from books,” he said.

Shane Jones arrived at Rātana with a gift.

Local MP and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said she expected the Government to receive some harsh feedback from Māori during the election year.

“We’ve had, probably, the worst couple of years that our whānau can remember,” she said, listing issues such as inflation, the cost of living, and policies impacting Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa also signalled dissatisfaction, telling Stuff the Government’s approach needed to change. And if the ministers’ didn’t change their attitudes, he said the entire Government may need to change at the election.

Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa said there were major problems for the Government, but speeches at Rātana Pā were largely upbeat.

“I mean, they’ve been told time and time again, from marches and hīkoi, from Rātana and Koroneihana, and a whole host of others,” he said.

But when Papa later stood to speak from the paepae, his tone shifted — and he ended up talking about how the Government and Māori have worked together. He even thanked Regional Development Minister Shane Jones.

Jones, a New Zealand First MP, came bearing a gift: $10 million for marae infrastructure. It would fund the National Ringatū Marae Complex in Bay of Plenty.

“I proudly announced the allocation of $10 million to boost the resilience of your Ringatū marae,” Jones told those at Rātana Pā.

The Ringatū faith started in the 1800s, founded by Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki. Its followers hold their services in marae. The Rātana Church emerged later, in 1925.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said it was right for the Government to arrive with a koha.

Queen Ngawai hono i te po Paki arrived at Rātana Pā on Friday, ahead of the politicians.

And Jones insisted the funding wasn’t buying votes.

“No, this is not an attempt to get votes. If I was going to get votes, Waikato would have voted for me when I gave them $30 million for infrastructure,” he said, during the speech.

He then joked with Ngā Wai hono i te po, the Māori Queen, who was welcomed to Rātana ahead of the arrival of parliamentarians.

“So please, our young queen, go home and tell your people reciprocity is very important to our community,” he said.

Peters said the Government was following tikanga. “When we’ve come here, we’ve always left a gift,” he said.

That “gift” certainly going a long way, at Rātana, to smooth relationships between the Government and those at the pā.

Former Speaker Adrian Rurawhe has announced his retirement. He plans to spend more time at home, near Rātana Pā.

With that, there was also talk about potential coalition relationships.

Ngarewa-Packer said that with a “crucial” election coming up, she would be open to working with NZ First if that was required to change the Government.

“We will work with anyone — we’ve always said that,” she said.

Rurawhe echoed the sentiment, recalling advice from Te Pāti Māori founder Tariana Turia.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins speaks at Rātana Pā, with MPs Greg O'Connor, Shanan Halbert, Willie Jackson and Carmel Sepuloni.

“Politics is about compromise, and you’ve got to say the master of compromise is Winston Peters,” he said.

But relations between Labour, Te Pāti Māori and NZ First remained testy.

Peters lashed out at the suggestion he could work beside Te Pāti Māori. He said the party was “racist”.

“From day one, we’re never going to work with a party that’s based on race,” he said.

He also ruled out working with a Chris Hipkins-led Labour Party.

“The answer is no. We’re not working with Chris Hipkins, fullstop,” he said.

Hipkins responded, “If that is Winston Peters’ position, he’s sending a very clear message that a vote for New Zealand First is a vote for Christopher Luxon to be prime minister.”