Labour MP Meka Whaitiri, centre, celebrating with her family on election night. Photo / File
Labour MP Meka Whaitiri, centre, celebrating with her family on election night. Photo / File
Meka Whaitiri reckons Māori voters know better than most the importance of forgiving and forgetting.
The Labour MP on Saturday night steamrolled to victory in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat - two years after controversy caused her to stand down from her ministerial portfolios.
Whaitiri received a total of 10,883 votes, 5102ahead of the Māori Party's Heather Te Au-Skipworth.
Gisborne-born Whaitiri is affiliated to Ngāti Kahungunu and Rongowhakaata.
She stood down from her ministerial portfolios during an investigation into an allegation that she assaulted a staff member in her ministerial office in August 2018.
Whaitiri, 55, said Māori voters were often willing to look past controversy if you focus on hard work.
"As long as you put your head down, work hard and do your time, Māori voters tend to acknowledge that and move with you," she said.
The Green Party's share of the national vote (7.6 per cent) means Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Green Party candidate Elizabeth Kerekere, who finished third in the electorate race with 1219 votes, looks set to make it to Parliament as a list MP.
Whaitiri acknowledged a hard-fought campaign by both her "moko sisters", Skipworth and Kerekere.
Elizabeth Kerekere. Photo / File
"I've got a lot of time for Elizabeth – she's championed a lot of causes in the Tairāwhiti area and can now continue to do that," she said.
The Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat was also the only electorate in the country contested solely by women.
Whaitiri said an all-women electorate is something to be proud of.
"This sends a really cool message to young up-and-coming Māori women that you absolutely can stand for Parliament. And where better to do it than the land of the rising sun to get your inspiration," she said.
"But as a Māori electorate, you never stand by yourself – you always have your family amongst you, as well as supporters and volunteers."
The electorate, which was formed in 1999, was held by Parekura Horomia until his death in 2013. A byelection to replace him was held in June 2013 and won by Whaitiri.
Whaitiri said drug and housing issues remain firmly at the top of her priorities list.
"We've got issues around housing across Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, so getting more homes built would be a key priority," she said.
"We've got a huge P [methamphetamine] problem in a lot of our communities in places like Wairoa and other parts of Hawke's Bay, so getting relevant treatment centres, addiction services and helping with mental health is key."
