Labour MP Willie Jackson has called out the media's treatment of Te Pati Māori over the Manurewa Marae scandal.
During a fiery interview on AM, Jackson said the same level of scrutiny should be placed on the National Party after its MP failed to declare almost $180,000 in candidate donations.
Te Pati Māori is facing mounting investigations into whether it has misused census data and information collected from people who had COVID-19 vaccinations for electioneering. The Privacy Commissioner, Electoral Commission, police and Stats NZ are all investigating the allegations.
Appearing on AM's Friday political panel alongside Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, Jackson, whose cousin is the chair of Manurewa Marae, discussed the allegations.
"If JT [John Tamihere] is guilty lock him up, throw the book at him but there's a process to go through and I hope they go through that process," Jackson said.
He then said he hopes the same level of scrutiny at Manurewa Marae happens with the National Party.
"These guys have got donors lined up everywhere. These guys have got lobbyists who they are looking after," Jackson said.
"The old counterattack. Willie and the counterattack," Goldsmith interjected.
Jackson was referring to National MP David MacLeod who was stood down after failing to declare almost $180,000. MacLeod said the error was a misunderstanding as he had mistakenly thought the return was for 2023 only, and the 2022 donations had been filed. The Electoral Commission is investigating the matter.
"What I'm saying is let's not have the scrutiny just on…" Jackson said.
"Hold on," AM co-host Lloyd Burr interjected. "We have to have scrutiny, that's our job. This is something that is sacred, it's our democratic process."
Burr said the two cases were "chalk and cheese" and couldn't be compared.
"You've got to look at how the different media are treating us. I said if JT and them are guilty, throw the book at them, no problem with that. But I get a bit, and a lot of Māori media particularly have been talking to me, they're saying where is the same level of scrutiny of the National Party and ACT Party whose got donors lining up at the door.
Burr interjected saying Labour too has donors, particularly unions, giving them money.
"I'm just saying I've got no problem with the book being thrown at JT, no problem at all, but I do have a problem with the way these guys are getting away with blue murder," Jackson said.
Speaking about the Te Pati Māori investigations, Goldsmith said they are serious allegations that should be fully investigated.
"People make mistakes, that's okay, but if what the allegations are true then that's a very, very serious matter and I don't think there's anything to be gained by throwing it around and blaming everybody," Goldsmith said.
Watch the full panel above.
Newshub.
