Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer running again in Te Tai Hauāuru electorate

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the party's work to represent the people of Te Tai Hauāuru has never stopped. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Māori Party believes that in its co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer it has the candidate to win back the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate later this year.

The South Taranaki-based list MP will once again contest the electorate after losing to the incumbent, Labour’s Adrian Rurawhe, in 2020.

Party president John Tamihere made the announcement at the annual Rātana celebrations on Tuesday, saying Ngarewa Packer would take back the electorate for Te Pāti Māori and “strengthen our Māori movement for equality and rangatiratanga.”

“Alongside Rawiri (Waititi, party co-leader), Debbie’s efforts in Parliament have been simply outstanding,” Tamihere said.

“Aotearoa knows what the Māori position is, why it is and on every level it is advanced in a just, evidenced-based and reasoned way.”

Ngarewa-Packer said it was one thing to put yourself out there, but you also had to make sure there was support on the ground.

“Internally, we go out to all the branches in the electorate and I was able to get 100 per cent endorsement.

“That makes me feel really humbled and strong to be able to go into this year’s election process as well.”

Rurawhe won Te Tai Hauāuru in 2020 with 12,160 votes to Ngarewa-Packer’s 11,107.

He has held the seat since 2014.

The Chronicle has contacted Rurawhe for comment on whether he intends to stand for a fourth term.

She was relatively unknown in 2020, bar Taranaki, and was up against a popular leader in government, Ngarewa-Packer said.

“This year, we’ve got a lot more profile and we’ve done a lot of work.

“It’s a different election year, it’s a different campaign, and in fact, it’s a different Labour.

“No matter whether it’s red (Labour) or blue (National), we are still consistent in our messaging. We’ll keep being brave and raise the things others would and should when it comes to Kaupapa Māori.”

Turiana Turia was the electorate’s longest-serving MP, first for Labour (2002-2004) and then for the Maori Party (2004-2013).

Labour list MP Soraya Peke-Mason challenged Turia in 2011 and stood against National’s Ian McKelvie in Rangitīkei 2020.

Peke-Mason also been contacted by The Chronicle for comment on her plans for this year’s election.

Ngarewa-Packer said she would be alongside a formidable team of Te Pāti Māori candidates across the country.

“Our work to represent the people of Te Tai Hauāuru has never stopped and as a List MP I have already been able to make progress on our kaupapa such as healthcare, seabed mining, Māori wards, inequality, racism, housing and freshwater.”

Te Tai Hauāuru, one of seven Māori electorates, stretches across the western North Island and covers Whanganui, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Tokoroa and Porirua.

Ngarewa-Packer had already been relentless as a list MP in advancing the interests of her people and continuing to build the party’s presence in the electorate, Tamihere said.

“As an electorate MP, with the resource and mandate that comes with that, there will be nothing to stop her from putting Te Tai Hauāuru’s kaupapa at the absolute forefront of the national political agenda.”

In Te Tai Hauāuru, Labour drew 16,022 party votes to the Māori Party’s 4055 in the 2020 election.

Last time around there had been a strategy of “support your candidates”, Ngarewa-Packer said.

“We’ll be looking to grow that party support and to encourage more of our youth, because 70 per cent of our population are under 45 years old.

“The party’s long-term vision isn’t just to survive and get into government, it is to grow the movement to continuously have an indigenous voice in the house.”

This year’s general election will be held on October 14.

* The original version of this story reported: “We’ll be looking to grow that party support and to encourage more of our youth, because 30 per cent of our population are under 45 years old.” The correct figure is 70 per cent.