Will’s Word: Te Pāti Māori needs fresh leadership and Maipi-Clarke just proved why

There's a moment unfolding in Te Pāti Māori's story that I think is actually begging for fresh leadership. We saw that yesterday in Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. She's broken her silence after the weeks, if not months, of turmoil engulfing Te Pāti Māori internally.

As I listened to her speak to the media yesterday in a press conference, I thought, “wow, she should be leading the party”. At one level it's obvious now. She's young, energetic, well-liked, a new voice, unburdened by the factional drama that's consumed her party.

That in itself is important right now. Her reputation has not taken a hit because of what's happening within Te Pāti Māori with the co-leaders and the two expelled members Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris.

Te Pāti Māori is wounded, it is split, and it's caught in a cycle at the moment of expulsions and infighting. It's wearying for voters and I've seen some of the social media commentary. People are now turning their backs on Te Pāti Māori.

So Maipi-Clarke stepped into that mess yesterday and said an honourable thing. She says she heard “both sides” and that ‘both sides are valid”. She acknowledged the pain, she acknowledged responsibility, and called for forward motion.

That to me is leadership. The kind that says let us accept where we are, let's rebuild this. So I put the plea out to Te Pāti Māori's executive. Imagine your party led by someone who hasn't been entangled in yesterday's battles and can instead focus on tomorrow's kaupapa.

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Someone with enough distance to heal the fractures and enough presence to speak with conviction. Maipi-Clarke's got that. Frankly, I can't believe that I didn't even consider it. Yes, she's young and yes, there'll be questions about experience.

But I'll tell you what, to me, she seems like the oldest person in the room right now within Te Pāti Māori. The rest of them are behaving like children. Behaving like they're actually Maipi-Clarke's age. So I think you've found your answer, Te Pāti Māori.

You've found your new leader. And have Orini Kaipara, who of course won the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election just weeks ago, as the deputy. There you go, I've solved the problem for you. Hire me as your spin doctor.

That's Will's Word.