Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi says she actually underspent Parliamentary budget

Monday, 24 November 2025

Kapa-Kingi said usual practice was to work with the business parter to ensure operational costs for Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki-Makaurau electorates were met.

MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is pushing back on allegations she overspent her Parliamentary budget, saying at the end of the budget period she has actually underspent.

In October, Te Pāti Māori sent out an unsigned email to members alleging Kapa-Kingi was overspending her parliamentary budget by $133,000.

In a statement released on Monday, Kapa-Kingi, who has been expelled from Te Pāti Māori following the allegations, said during her time in Parliament she undertook additional duties as party whip and covered work for the late MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp while she underwent medical care in 2024 and early this year.

“The first budget transfer covering this mahi was approved and signed off by the Te Pāti Māori co-leaders,” she said.

“On that basis, I expected the second budget transfer to be honoured. For reasons beyond my understanding, it was not.”

Kapa-Kingi said she sought advice from the Speaker “and a plan was swiftly enacted with the assistance of my Parliamentary Service business partner”.

She said she was notified on November 14 her parliamentary budget was underspent.

Kapa-Kingi provided screenshots of an email from a redacted Parliamentary email address confirming an underspend of her budget.

Usual practice was to work with Parliamentary Service to ensure operational costs for Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki-Makaurau electorates were met, she said.

“I have since learnt that this plan brought my electorate budget for the second year of the 54th Parliamentary term to a position where it is underspent.”

Earlier this month, Te Pāti Māori national executive expelled Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris. The move came after months of chaos, and open in-fighting, following its win in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

A hui took place in Kapa-Kingi’s electorate on Sunday, with Kapa-Kingi and representatives of Ngāpuhi attending.

The Post was told the hui consisted of a nine hour wānanga and kōrero with Te Tai Tokerau.

Te Pāti Māori has been contacted for comment.