Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has reiterated his determination to win all the Māori seats in November's election, as parties gather at Waitangi.
He told Morning Report that candidate elections were underway for Labour.
"I've been very clear that we want to do very well there."
Asked about Te Pāti Māori which currently holds all seven seats, Hipkins said "they need to sort themselves out".
"They're in court and that's really where their focus should be.
"In the meantime, we're going to be busy organising in the Māori seats to win them back."
The party was involved this week in a substantive hearing at the High Court in Wellington after a two of its MPs, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris, were expelled.
Kapa-Kingi's lawyers are arguing Te Pāti Māori's constitution was not upheld during the process.
Hipkins told RNZ his message at Waitangi would be the same as elsewhere - that the country is stronger when people identify areas of common interest, work together and move forward.
In contrast to his stance on Te Pāti Māori, Labour is aiming to project a united front with the Greens at Waitangi with a joint press conference at the Treaty Grounds aimed to demonstrate working together despite policy differences.
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