The government is coming under increasing pressure to conduct an independent investigation into allegations that Manurewa Marae misused census data to support Te Pāti Māori’s election campaign.
Former marae workers claim census forms collected in 2023 were photocopied and the data entered into a database, which was allegedly used to target voters in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, according to a report in state media.
Stats NZ has initiated its own investigation, bringing in an external party to examine the claims. Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere and party spokespersons have denied the allegations, describing them as baseless.
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Kemp, who was the chief executive of Manurewa Marae during the alleged misuse, has since stepped down from the role after narrowly winning the Tāmaki Makaurau seat.
Calls for a wide-ranging independent inquiry have been voiced by Employment advocate Allan Halse and Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Jordan Williams, emphasising the seriousness of the allegations. Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly and Labour leader Chris Hipkins have also acknowledged the need for a rigorous and credible review to ensure the protection of private census information and to prevent future breaches.
Stepping down from the position (AKA retiring with a full pension) IS NOT a punishment for criminal actions.
PROSECUTION is needed.
Everything about these guys so far is crooked and corrupt, especially all the dark “NGO” money swirling around them and the way the media were relentlessly shilling for them in the last election.