Will’s Word: When a party president becomes the headline, something’s gone wrong

Here's a question for you: do you know who Jill Day is? How about Sylvia Wood? Chances are you don't. Jill is Labour's party president while Sylvia is National's party president. Two of the biggest political machines in the country and you rarely, if ever, see their names in headlines.

The same cannot be said for Te Pāti Māori (TPM) president John Tamihere. Tamihere has become a permanent fixture in the news cycle. If TPM is in the story, odds are his name's attached.

The weekend's Annual General Meeting was no exception. The leadership called it a magnificent day for the movement. But the issues? I'd argue they're still there. An expelled MP, a presidency some members question openly, a meeting that ran long enough and general business turned into general confusion.

During the pōwhiri, Ngira Simmons asked the leadership if they were the right people to unify the party. Another member asked Tamihere directly if he'd step down for the good of the party. Tamihere’s response?

He'll stand down, but only for a good reason. Not because a few people don't like him. Policy over personality. Fair enough. But also, when this many headlines are about you, not the kaupapa, that's its own red flag.

From my perspective, party presidents should rarely be the story. You're meant to steady the waka, not rock it. Guide the movement, not overshadow it. Which brings me to the real question after that AGM.

If your name is dominating the front pages more than your party's policies, are you the right person for the job?

That's Will's Word.

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