Te Pāti Māori MP pledges to restore mana to Mongrel Mob members

At a Mongrel Mob gathering, Te Pāti Māori MP Oriini Kaapara addressed members and vowed to enact policies that would restore their traditional mana, emphasizing their status as tangata whenua and descendants of historic figures. The visit also featured Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon, candidate Michel Mulipola and Māori MPs Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick refused to say whether she would have warned Lyndon about meeting gang members.

Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins described the meeting as a "huge error of judgement" and indicated that any coalition involving the parties would bar them from major ministerial roles. Green co-leader Marama Davidson, who previously posed with a gang leader, said she remains unapologetic about outreach to marginalized communities.