The Te Pāti Māori national council has moved to expel MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris from the party.
A letter seen by 1News which was sent to Te Tai Tokerau MP Kapa-Kingi this morning said the council met last night and made the decision to expel her. A similar letter was also sent to Te Tai Tonga MP Ferris.
There was the option of warning or suspending them.
At a media conference held this morning, co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer explained the decision, which was driven by what the party said was breaches of its constitution.
Ngarewa-Packer said it followed six weeks of "rigorous process" and "was not taken lightly".
"Many hoped the end would be reconciliation, it could not be achieved."
She said the internal matter "should have never played out in public" and was an "unnecessary distraction".
Waititi reiterated the party's focus to "make this a one term Government".
"That requires discipline, structure, fortitude and unity."
He said the party has recently had "serious and constructive" talks with both the Labour Party and the Green Party.
"From today, we will not comment further on this internal matter."
Both co-leaders said the party would also focus on repairing damage caused by the situation.
"It is our job to bring stability back to the waka, and that we step up where we need to step up," Waititi said.
Responding to the decision, Ferris said the decision is "plainly unconstitutional, contrary to tikanga Māori and a direct affront to the values this movement was founded upon".
He said he would continue to serve the people of Te Tai Tonga.
"No executive has the authority to strip the mandate of our electorate - that power rests with Te Tai Tonga alone."
"Alongside my electorate executive for Te Tai Tonga, I do not acknowledge the decisions and illegal resolutions made through unilateral measures.
"I reject this decision in the strongest possible terms."
Kapa-Kingi said she intended to "challenge and appeal" the decision in "all respects".
"In the meantime, I remain the duly elected Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau and will continue to stand up for, and show up for the people of Te Tai Tokerau to do the job I was elected to do."
Kapa-Kingi and Ferris will sit as independent MPs for now.
Over the last few months, internal conflict has plagued the party after allegations were made by Kapa-Kingi’s son, former party executive Eru Kapa-Kingi, of a "dictatorship model" by the party leadership.
The conflict has at times spilled into public view, drawing criticism on both sides of the argument.
Most recently, Kapa-Kingi and Ferris has called on Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere to resign. Tamihere fired back last week, and called on the pair to throw in the towel instead.
The party's co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer both showed support for their president and defended reconciliation efforts with the "rogue MPs".
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