23/08/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vision New Zealand Calls Out Exclusion and Bias at Waatea News Debate - Tāmaki Makaurau, 20th August, 2025
Vision New Zealand is calling for accountability following the continued exclusion of party leader Hannah Tamaki from key political debates and media platforms.
At tonight’s Waatea News election debate, Hannah Tamaki was once again denied the opportunity to participate alongside other candidates. Organisers defended the decision by claiming the debate was for “front runners only” - a justification Vision New Zealand says is nothing more than an excuse to deliberately exclude Hannah and deny voters the chance to hear her policies.
In response, Karl Mokaraka, a Vision Party member, attended the event to ask why she had been excluded. Instead of receiving answers, Mokaraka was forcibly removed from the venue, prompting him to file a police report.
This ongoing stonewalling by Māori media and Māori elites is not only unfair, it undermines the very principles of democracy.
Tāmaki Makaurau belongs to the people. Not to gatekeepers who decide which voices are heard.
Vision New Zealand also notes that Te Māori Party has consistently avoided opportunities for all candidates to sit together and debate the issues that matter to voters. By doing so, they deny the public the chance to hear each candidate discuss their policies in depth and on equal footing.
The pattern of exclusion extends beyond tonights debate. On a podcast last night, political commentator Martyn Bradbury gave the appearance of offering Hannah Tamaki a platform to speak. However, rather than being asked serious questions about Vision New Zealand’s policies, she was undermined throughout the discussion as he attempted to prevent her from fairly presenting her positions.
Following the Waatea incident from tonight, organisers attempted to shift the narrative by claiming Destiny Church had “invaded” the debate and breached tikanga. Vision New Zealand rejects this characterisation, calling it a deliberate attempt to distract from the central issue: the systematic suppression of political diversity and the ongoing effort to silence Hannah Tamaki.
Vision New Zealand further questions why publicly funded organisations such as Waatea News are permitted to use taxpayer money in ways that do not serve the public interest, but instead reflect the choices of a small group of elite Māori voices. Public money should be used to give all voters access to every candidate and every policy - not to restrict the conversation to those already favoured by the establishment.
Vision New Zealand highlights the contradiction between the values Māori are known for, respect, manaakitanga, and fairness – and the behaviour shown in these instances. The party is urging media and political leaders to uphold true democracy by allowing all candidates a fair platform.
This is not about one person, one party, or one church. This is about ensuring that every candidate, regardless of background, is given an equal voice in our democratic process.
