Defeated Far North mayoral candidate Jay Hepi considering a tilt at national politics

Jay Hepi (right) on the campaign trail with Trudy Brown of Open The Curtains Trust, Destiny Church founders Brian and Hannah Tamaki, and former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Undeterred Far North mayoral candidate Jay Hepi is considering a tilt at national politics in next year's general election.

Hepi, a reformed gang leader, national kickboxing champion and Man Up programme co-ordinator, missed out on the mayoralty and a council seat in Saturday's local elections.

In the mayoral race he finished fifth in a crowded field of 11, despite a high-profile campaign.

Hepi said he was disappointed his efforts to gain the Māori vote went unrewarded, and that only one Māori candidate — Moko Tepania — had made it on to the council.

''We put a lot of hard work in to getting the Māori vote and there was a high proportion of Māori candidates — but our people still didn't vote.''

Hepi had called Tepania, a teacher at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kaikohe, to offer his congratulations.

If Māori wanted more seats at the council table in future they might have to strategise better, he said.

Hepi said he had no plans to give up, however.

''I will keep fighting. I've built up a profile on this and I've got to keep going, as disappointing as the result is.''

Hepi was now considering standing for the Vision NZ party in Te Tai Tokerau in next year's general election, which would pit him against his relative Kelvin Davis, the sitting Labour MP.

So far it was only a possibility and he wasn't the only one lined up to represent the party in the North.

''We have a lot of work to do in the Far North. Central government isn't having much effect on the statistics facing Maori people.''

Earlier this year Hannah Tamaki, wife of Destiny Church founder Brian Tamaki, announced plans form a new political party to be called Coalition New Zealand.

That name was rejected by the Electoral Commission, which is now considering an application under the new name Vision New Zealand.

Re-elected Far North Mayor John Carter, pictured with his wife Leoni, said the election results were a lesson for Destiny. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Re-elected Far North Mayor John Carter said, however, Destiny's involvement in the local elections had been ''unhelpful''.

Hepi was officially an independent candidate but was helped during the campaign by the church, with leader Brian Tamaki and members touring the district to drum up support and encourage unenrolled Māori to register as voters.

Carter said the election results were a lesson for Destiny.

''If they think they're going to come up here and make an impact in the Far North, or across New Zealand, in the general election, then they need to reflect on what's happened — because it hasn't worked for them,'' he said.