Dave Armstrong on the dysfunctional parties of the left

Dave Armstrong writes:

Meanwhile, who would have predicted the tumult on the left? Labour has largely avoided controversy, helped by having a safe, if unspectacular, pair of hands in the form of Chris Hipkins – and no new policy to bicker about. But the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are starting to look like models of dysfunction.

Greens have lost one third of their caucus in under two years, and Te Pati Maori are trying to deselect some of their own MPs.

Hipkins will be hoping things get so bad for the coalition that Labour and the Greens get the required number of seats to govern without TPM.

He can hope for that, but 0 out of 67 polls since the election have shown that as possible.

The problem for Labour will be the scaremongering tactics the right will use if Labour suggests working with TPM. Peters and Seymour are masters of stirring up anti-Māori sentiment, as we have seen this term.

Here Armstrong conflates things. Being anti-TPM is not being anti-Maori. TPM do not speak for all, or even most Maori.