Whaitiri served as Minister of Customs for the Sixth Labour Government on two separate occasions but resigned from her party on 3 May 2023 to contest the 2023 general election for Te Pāti Māori.

[1] For the remainder of the parliamentary term, she was treated as an independent member in the House,[2] and was defeated in her bid to retain Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by the Labour candidate, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel.

[10][11] Her first professional job was for Parekura Horomia, then a manager in the Department of Labour, who made her wait eight hours before he saw her, but then hired her immediately.

[19] Whaitiri defeated five others for the Labour nomination, including Hastings district councillor Henare O'Keefe, broadcaster Shane Taurima and Ngāti Kahungunu board member Hayden Hape.

[30] On 4 September 2020 the Governor-General granted Whaitiri retention of the title "The Honourable" in "recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council".

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins learned about Whaitiri's defection after landing in London to attend the coronation of King Charles III.

[46][45] Following her defection, Acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni confirmed that Hipkins had stripped Whaitiri of her ministerial responsibilities on 3 May.

[47] Some commentary around Whaitiri's defection, including from Māori development minister Willie Jackson, focused on her apparent disappointment in not receiving a promotion into Cabinet in Hipkins' earlier reshuffles.

[48][49] Also on 3 May, Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe confirmed that Whaitiri would serve until the election as an independent member of Parliament under standing order 35.5, which avoids the waka-jumping provisions of the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act 2018 from being invoked.

[50] On 4 May, Rurawhe distinguished the Electoral Act from parliament's standing orders, stating that he had not received from Whaitiri a letter of resignation from Labour, despite her public statements, with the result that Whaitiri remained a Labour MP under electoral legislation, but was an independent MP for parliamentary purposes under standing orders.

Speaker Rurawhe ordered Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi to leave Parliament since they had not received permission from him or other parliamentary parties to hold the haka.