Officially, Mauri Pacific was a multiculturalist party, welcoming anyone who supported racial and cultural harmony.

It held the balance of power in Parliament and eventually went into coalition with the incumbent conservative National Party with Peters as deputy prime minister.

Henare, Morgan, and Waitai were previously members of the so-called "tight five", New Zealand First's group of Māori MPs.

The behaviour of its members (particularly Tuku Morgan) had been criticised even before the splintering of New Zealand First, and the perception that these MPs had "betrayed" their former party was strong.

In June, Independent and former New Zealand First MP Tuariki Delamere asked his supporters to give their party vote to Mauri Pacific.

Shortly after the election, Mauri Pacific disbanded, and the party was deregistered at its own request by the Electoral Commission.

[3] The party's party list at the 1999 election was: Tau Henare, Tuku Morgan, Peta Si'ulepa, Rana Waitai, Ann Batten, Te Orohi Paul, Atawhai Tibble, Amokura Huia Panoho, Rovina Anderson, Eric Chuah, Danny Turia, Rajesh Masters, Martin Kaipo, Helen Akhtari, Trieste Te Awe Awe, Sharon Faloon, Rayna Waitai, Fa'amatuainu Iakopo, Laura Mason, Richard Waitai, Kelly Waitai and Api Malu.