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Brian Tamaki
@BrianTamakiNZ
💥Toitū te Tiriti Hikoi supporters…listen up!
YOU’VE BEEN RIPPED OFF!

The news that John Tamihere’s Waipareira Trust has lost its Charities Services registration should come as no surprise. Tamihere has rorted the system for decades, behaving like a cartel boss who thinks he’s untouchable. And why wouldn’t he? Political parties have enabled him for years, entrusting millions of taxpayer dollars to this guy without holding him accountable.

THE MĀORI-MONEY CARTEL:
COVID was Tamihere’s cash cow. Between 2020 and 2022, Waipareira revealed it received $15.6 million in COVID funding from the government.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s talk about Whānau Ora, which has been cashed in on to the tune of over $1.185 billion since 2010:

▪️2010-2013: $33.5 million per year
▪️2014: $68 million
▪️2015: $49.8 million over four years
▪️2016: $40 million over four years + $11.38 million transferred from MSD
▪️2017: $10 million over four years
▪️2019: $80 million over four years
▪️2020: $136 million over two years + $19 million COVID-19 Response Package
▪️2021: $120 million Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund
▪️2022: $166.5 million over four years
▪️2023: $168.1 million over four years
▪️2024: WOCA given an additional $600k, increasing funding to $182.3 million for the year

That’s $1.185 billion in Whānau Ora funding—and that’s not even counting the other government contracts Tamihere has picked up with Te Puni Kōkiri, ACC, Oranga Tamariki, Statistics NZ, the Electoral Commission and more.

Whānau Ora operates under the Ministry of Māori Development, but John Tamihere, as CEO of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA), has made himself the gatekeeper of all Māori funding. This was orchestrated by Tariana Turia in 2014, funnelling all Māori funding through Whānau Ora and into Tamihere’s hands. Since then, he’s overseen the distribution of millions of funding to various Māori organisations, where Waipareira gets the lion’s share, where he also happens to be CEO.

It doesn’t stop there. Tamihere is also the chairman of NUMA (National Urban Māori Authority), following in the footsteps of Willie Jackson, who previously chaired NUMA and led the Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA). Jackson, now in Parliament, has used his political influence to channel funding to these urban Māori authorities, including Waipareira.

THE GREAT ENABLERS…NATIONAL & LABOUR:
But where is the accountability? Who has been signing off on these massive sums? Let’s name them:

▪️2010-2014: Dame Tariana Turia (Te Pāti Māori) under National’s finance minister
▪️2014-2017: Te Ururoa Flavell (Te Pāti Māori) under National’s finance minister
▪️2017-2020: Peeni Henare (Labour Party in coalition with NZ First & Greens)
▪️2020-2023: Willie Jackson (Labour Party)
▪️2024: Tama Potaka (National Party in coalition with NZ First and ACT)

All of the political parties currently in Parliament have enabled this corruption at some level. Winston Peters himself pointed out on Wednesday that he often used to work with Willie Jackson’s mother, the founder and initial CEO of MUMA. NZ First and Shane Jones have also come under fire in past years for their $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund which has been littered with accusations of conflicts of interest and labelled a slush fund for their mates.

MĀORI HAVE BEEN ROBBED:
Te Pāti Māori and their recent hikoi would have you believe that the Pākehā have taken everything from Māori, yet they undermine Māori mana daily by taking from their own people right under their noses.

Billions of dollars have been funnelled into the hands of a few elites, yet urban Māori in cities like Auckland are worse off today than they were in 2010. Where is the practical help? Where is the real support for grassroots Māori? The truth is, most urban Māori would say they’ve seen none of this money. It’s lining the pockets of elites like Tamihere and his political cronies.

If you are Māori and live in a city like Auckland, or are attached to an Iwi…ask yourself this honest question…when did you last receive a cent from these Urban Māori Authorities, or from your Iwi? All the while they are racking up excessive amounts of assets, paying Tamihere & Co exorbitant salaries and accumulating massive surpluses from unspent funds.

I see the realities every day through the volunteer work of ManUp and Legacy. We pick up the pieces of broken Māori families who are struggling because of a lack of government support. I’ve got the authority to call out the corrupt actions of Tamihere and Jackson because I’m on the ground, doing the work they claim to care about.

The lack of meaningful support for grassroots Māori has driven many into desperation. With few options available, far too many have become homeless. Many have turned to gangs for money and support—seeking the stability and security that their leaders and the political system have failed to provide. This is a tragedy, a direct consequence of leaders prioritising their own power and influence over the well-being of the people they claim to serve.

The real losers here are everyday Māori. Funds meant to empower whānau have been diverted to serve the political ambitions of a select few. It’s time for accountability. It’s time for change. And it’s time to stop them ripping off our own people.

Before you mock me, or criticise me, just remember the facts don’t lie. For all of the Māori funding that has flowed, Māori statistics have got worse in every area…crime, prisons, domestic violence, health, education, housing, mental health, and poverty.

MĀORI ELITE SWAMP:
It’s no wonder so many Māori leaders cosy up to John Tamihere and Willie Jackson, perpetuating a cycle of power and influence that ultimately sells out our people. From Iwi leaders to individuals like Hone Harawira and Matthew Tukaki, the connections are undeniable. Tamihere has wielded unprecedented power with taxpayer funding for Māori initiatives, creating an ecosystem where Te Pāti Māori has been a clear benefactor of this corruption. Don’t forget Tamihere is the President and Purse String holder of Te Pāti Māori. Their political campaigns reek of misconduct, and the entanglements are staggering.

Take Takutai Tarsh Kemp, for example—once on the board of Whānau Ora and CEO of Manurewa Marae, her connections epitomise the overlapping roles within this corrupt network. Even Rawiri Waititi, Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader, is Tamihere’s son-in-law, and his wife, also Tamihere’s daughter, was the party campaign manager, further demonstrating how deeply these ties run. Willie Jackson’s complicity as part of this cartel should see him removed from any position of influence.

What’s worse, Te Pāti Māori’s candidates have gained their positions in Parliament through corrupt practices, making a mockery of the democratic system. They should be ousted immediately. Their continued presence in Parliament is not only a stain on our political institutions but also an insult to the very people they claim to represent. New Zealand deserves leaders who earn their positions through integrity, not deceit.

New Zealand has never seen political corruption reach these depths.

As one of the few Māori leaders of a large organization untainted by their dealings, I have no hesitation in calling out this betrayal of our people.

This is a moment of reckoning—one that demands transparency, accountability, and integrity for the sake of Māori and all New Zealanders.

It’s time to put an end to this era of manipulation and corruption. Only then can we begin to rebuild trust and empower grassroots Māori to thrive without exploitation or neglect.

@chrisluxonmp

@winstonpeters

@dbseymour
…It’s time to drain the Māori Elite swamp!

Take Note MSM, time to cut your ties with TPM too:
@nzherald

@NZStuff

@1NewsNZ

@MaikiSherman

@NewstalkZB

@radionz

@theplatform_nz

@RCR_NZ

@RebelNewsOnline

@RebelNews_AU