Ex-Manurewa Marae CEO and Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp to take leave after kidney disease diagnosis

MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp has been diagnosed with kidney disease after feeling unwell "for some time". Photo / Michael Craig

Te Pāti Māori MP and former Manurewa Marae chief executive Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp will take six weeks off to recover from kidney disease.

The Tāmaki Makaurau electorate MP announced on social media her treatment begins today.

“For some time now, I have been feeling unwell and after undergoing thorough testing, I have been diagnosed with kidney disease,” Kemp said.

The electorate MP, who entered Parliament at the most recent election, said she was “fully committed” to recovery. “As part of this process, I will be taking a leave of absence for the next six weeks to focus on my health and wellbeing.”

Kemp said a “comprehensive plan” had been developed by the party in her absence.

Kemp and Te Pāti Māori have come under scrutiny in recent months after allegations of misusing Census data and information about the Covid-19 vaccine at Manurewa Marae, which Kemp was chief executive of at the time.

Te Pāti Māori has refuted claims of misusing the data to help its election campaign. Ex-marae workers, who claim to have collected Census forms during last year’s data push, claim private data was photocopied and used to reach out to potential voters.

The party has called the allegations “baseless” and “simply untrue”, welcoming an investigation seemingly supported by both Act and Labour.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Newstalk ZB’s Nick Mills the allegations were “very serious”.

Statistics New Zealand has launched an investigation, and an official complaint was laid with police.

Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden said the agency had brought in an external party to investigate, adding the agency was “taking these allegations very seriously”.

During the campaign, Labour filed a complaint to the Electoral Commission over text messages, urging people to consider voting for the Māori Party, which did not have a legally-required authorisation statement. Labour alleged Te Pāti Māori used the same number that the Waipareira Trust did to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Kemp won her seat by a mere 42 votes against Labour candidate and MP Peeni Henare.

She stepped down as the chief executive of the marae after being accepted to Parliament.

“I am optimistic about my recovery and look forward to returning with renewed energy to continue the fight against this Government and for our communities, our whānau, our mokopuna and Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Kemp said in a statement to Instagram.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.