Prime Minister has high hopes for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate Cushla Tangaere-Manuel over Meka Whaitiri

Former East Coast Ngāti Porou CEO Cushla Tangaere-Manuel will have a tough battle with Te Pāti Māori's Meka Whaitiri for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti. Photo / Tracey Grant

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has high hopes for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, despite her not being on the party list.

The list released yesterday protects ministers who are list-only candidates or standing in unwinnable seats, but some of the MPs who came in on the 2020 red wave could get washed away.

The first non-MP on the list is Hamilton East candidate Georgie Dansey (31) , who was the runner-up in last year’s Hamilton West by-election.

She will hope the party vote gets her across the line.

Meka Whaitiri defected from the Labour Party. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Hipkins is confident Tangaere-Manuel, who only came on board last month following the defection of Cabinet minister Meka Whaitiri, will battle the incumbent for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.

Labour’s Māori caucus co-chair Willie Jackson also paid tribute to Tangaere-Manuel, Soraya Peke-Mason and Nanaia Mahuta, who will all stand as Māori electorate candidates only.

“I mihi to those three wāhine Māori and the decisions they have made.”

Hipkins says Tangaere-Manuel will bring home Ikaroa-Rāwhiti for Labour, despite Whaitiri being a tough competitor.

“Because she’s a relatively late nominee she hasn’t nominated for the list so she is running for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti only. I think she’s going to win that seat,” Hipkins says.

Māori make up six of the top 20 places on the Labour list, and 11 of the top 40.

Waatea.News.Com