Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' calls to Meka Whaitiri's have gone unanswered since she defected from Labour to join Te Pāti Māori.
The unexpected exodus of a senior Member of Parliament has embarrassed the Labour Party, while potentially bolstering Te Pāti Māori's kingmaker position, 1News Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay told Breakfast today.
It is also unclear whether she can actually stay on as an MP. Mutch McKay said there's been a lot of speculation swirling about whether a letter was delivered to the Speaker of the House and the Speaker is yet to give any clarity on that.
"It's almost like a bit of political theatre," Mutch McKay said. "He [Hipkins] hopped on a plane with his team still intact and got off at the other end with a few notifications things weren't quite right with speculation brewing he'd lost one of his ministers."
Overnight, 1News Europe Correspondent Mei Heron spoke to Hipkins, who said he still hasn't heard from Whaitiri, to whom he's left a couple of messages.
"It's not very often in countries where a Prime Minister can leave a message with a Member of Parliament saying 'hey, please give me a call' and that goes unanswered," Mutch McKay said.
Hipkins also revealed overnight that he'd only heard Whaitiri was leaving when she left a note resigning from the party membership. The prime minister said he's been talking to Labour's Māori caucus to see where their heads are at.
Mutch McKay said it will be interesting to see whether Whaitiri will win Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, for which she's a heavy favourite but which is also a heavy Labour seat.
"That would really bolster the Māori Party's kingmaker position," she said.
"Now Meka Whaitiri outlined saying look 'for me it is about coming home', she’s always felt that affiliation with Te Pāti Māori, she made the announcement on her marae in hastings... saying that she's done what she set out to do for the Labour Party.
"For the Labour Party it's hugely embarrassing," Mutch McKay said. "It's a real distraction with Chris Hipkins, the prime minister. Over in the UK this is absolutely not what he wants to be dealing with."
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