New Zealand’s youngest MP is surprised she made a shortlist as the nation’s preferred Prime Minister and admits “it’s not all roses and rainbows being in Parliament”.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke won the Hauraki Waikato electorate in 2023, making her the youngest elected MP, aged 21, since 1853.
The latest 1News Verian poll put her among the list of politicians in preferred Prime Minister rankings with 1%, while support for her political party, Te Pāti Māori, had jumped up one point to 4%.
“Surprised, that’s my initial reaction,” Maipi-Clarke said.
She learned of the result while attending Te Koroneihana celebrations at Tūrangawaewae in Ngāruawāhia on Monday.
“The thought of being Prime Minister has not crossed my mind, my priority at the moment is being the Hauraki Waikato voice in Parliament, that job keeps me busy enough,” Maipi-Clarke said.
Politics and Parliament was a “hostile environment and many of the youth are turned off by the behaviour”, she said.
“It’s not all roses and rainbows being in Parliament.”
A battle of words broke out when she stood to address the house on the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.
“One of the reasons I went into politics is to carry the values of Kiingitanga, my culture and indigenous political Māori party to the nation and the world.”
Her role at Te Koroneihana celebrations was to serve and “do the dishes in the wharekai, to serve people”, she said.
“If service is below you, then leadership is above you.”
The poll surveyed 1001 eligible voters and ran from August 10 to 14. (Source: 1News)
Maipi-Clarke said she wanted to give a voice to the voiceless, aiming at her generation.
“Those who have never seen themselves represented in the house, we all know the apathy for the young, the brown and the poor towards politics and voting; this must change.
“If we the Māori and rangatahi participate, enrol and vote, this Government will no longer be in power, I guarantee you that; 240,000 of our people under 35 are not enrolled, if this encourages them to enrol then I am happy.”
Maipi-Clarke said Te Pāti Māori was sceptical about most political polls and whether those enrolled in Māori electorates were polled.
The poll was conducted between August 10-14, which followed the introduction of the Government’s tax cuts. The poll featured 1001 voters who were polled via phone and online forums. The margin of error was 3.1 percentage points.
The poll also asked respondents whether they believed the Government’s policies were increasing racial tensions.
About half, 46%, believed the policies did increase tensions, about 10% said the Government was reducing tensions, while 37% felt the policies had made no difference.
National, Act and New Zealand First all recorded the same level of support as the last poll in June. National came in at 38%, Act on 7% and NZ First on 6%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had a surge in popularity over Chris Hipkins in the preferred PM ratings.
He had increased five percentage points to 28%. Hipkins was on 18%, the same as the last poll.
Labour’s party support had increased one point to 30%. The Green Party had dropped two points to 11. Te Pāti Māori had jumped up one point to 4%.
The previous 1News Verian poll in June had National at 38%, Act on 7% and NZ First on 6% - enough to give the coalition partners 64 seats and enough to form a Parliament.
Labour had dropped to 29%. The Green Party was on 13% and Te Pāti Māori on 3%.
Luxon held the preferred PM in the June poll with 23% support. Hipkins was on 18% with Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick on 6%.
