Ministers say Pāti Māori MP is ‘telling porkies’ about visiting jailed rangatahi

Friday, 26 June 2026

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke claims 65% of her work involves visiting rangatahi in juvenile and correction centres.

Ministers say Maipi-Clarke has only visited a Corrections facility once, and has never been to a youth justice facility.

Maipi-Clarke deleted the post in which she made the claim, after Stuff asked questions about it.

It appears Maipi-Clarke has not submitted a single written parliamentary question.

Coalition ministers are questioning the veracity of claims from Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, about how often she visits prisons and youth justice facilities.

Maipi-Clarke has made highly specific claims to voters about her work advocating for and visiting rangatahi in prisons and Oranga Tamariki-run youth justice facilities.

The accuracy of her claims is now in doubt, with ministers saying there is no evidence Maipi-Clarke has done the work she’s taking credit for.

Last week Maipi-Clarke published a post saying: “65% of my work has been going to visit rangatahi in juvenile centres, correction centres or Oranga Tamariki who have been unfairly criminalised or to be a spoke person [sic].”

That post was deleted on Friday afternoon after Stuff asked Te Pāti Māori questions about it.

The party and MP have not responded to Stuff’s requests for comment.

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is questioning how Maipi-Clarke’s statement could be accurate.

Oranga Tamariki officials have told her that Maipi-Clarke has never visited a youth justice facility, or asked to visit one.

Stuff also checked with the office of Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell. His office said Maipi-Clarke has only ever visited a prison once since becoming an MP.

Maipi-Clarke was elected at the 2023 election, as the MP for Hauraki Waikato.

MPs have a right to visit prisons and correctional facilities. When they do, officials inform the minister’s office.

Chhour said Maipi-Clarke had told “porkies” about how much work she was doing advocating for vulnerable young people.

Maipi-Clarke made the post after meeting with Chhour and the recently appointed Secretary for Children, Amanda Malu.

A spokesperson for Chhour said that meeting only happened because the minister suggested it to Maipi-Clarke, to introduce her to the new Oranga Tamariki boss.

“Neither Hana-Rāwhiti nor her office have ever requested a meeting to discuss any issues relating to rangatahi in youth justice or in care,” the spokesperson said.

Chhour’s office also revealed that Maipi-Clarke had never once asked the minister an official question.

“We can also confirm that Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke has not submitted a single Written Parliamentary Question to this office and has not asked a single oral question in the House to Minister Chhour,” the spokesperson said.

Hansard, the record of Parliament’s debates, shows Maipi-Clarke has asked 13 oral questions. Those questions have been to the ministers of education, Māori development, emergency management, police, health, social development and justice.

Parliament’s register of Written Parliamentary Question, on Friday, did not include any from Maipi-Clarke. MPs can ask any minister for information using that system, which requires that they receive an answer within six working days.