Exciting times ahead for party

Chris McKenzie, of Ngati Raukawa and Waikato-Tainui descent, was chosen after a hui attended by 350 people in Wanganui last weekend. Photo/Stuart Munro

Last weekend the Maori Party announced our new candidate for Te Tai Hauauru for Election 2014.

The selection process has enabled an injection of new blood and symbolised exciting times ahead for our party. We had six potential candidates to choose from, each with their own unique expertise, skills and experience and connections to whanau, hapu and iwi and each with a real belief and commitment to our people.

Our selection process included a wananga for those prospective candidates and their whanau which was an awesome day. This wananga explained the selection process and was an opportunity to talk about expectations and responsibilities for those taking on the role of a member of Parliament. We followed this up with a selection hui where each candidate had an opportunity to speak about why they wanted to stand for the Maori Party in Te Tai Hauauru.

Three hundred and fifty attended the hui. Everyone was in good spirits and those coming forward as a potential candidate all agreed that no matter what the outcome they would support the chosen candidate.

Members cast their votes and the selection panel took that into consideration when making the final decision. We chose Chris McKenzie of Ngati Raukawa and Waikato-Tainui descent, a strategic manager for the Maori Party who was also my former political adviser.

I am thrilled that he put his name forward. He is wise beyond his years and has the personal qualities that enable him to work with anybody, rangatahi, kaumatua, whanau, hapu and iwi. He was the chief negotiator for Ngati Raukawa's claim, has been a school teacher and has just graduated with an MBA from Waikato University.

Candidate selection can be onerous - but for our electorate it was a motivating process.

We have five more candidate selections for the remaining Maori seats and we will be standing candidates on both the list and the general seats. There have been a few well-known names that may be possibilities but confirmation is a long way off. I am amazed at some of the commentary that has predicted that Te Tai Hauauru will now go back to Labour on my retirement and that our six interested candidates were not well-known enough. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but they should express it responsibly.

I would expect analysis to be based on good research, personal experience and knowledge of the topic. Chris McKenzie for example is known in iwi circles because of his role as chief negotiator for the Ngati Raukawa settlement. That role has given him access to key organisations such as the iwi leaders forum. As well, he is on Te Ohu Kaimoana's Electoral College. As a self-employed consultant and former Education Manager at Raukawa Trust Board and teacher at Tokoroa High School he has also developed strong networks within his community. He is a Maori language speaker, which has also opened many doors for him.

Being a well-known figure is no guarantee of success or the ability to survive the Parliamentary environment. An MP needs to be resilient to survive this adversarial environment. And it is not easy being Maori and being in Parliament.

There are highs and lows and storms we have to weather. But Parliament is where we need to be if we want to make a difference for our people. Matua Whatarangi Winiata our former Maori Party president always told us that our job as an independent Maori voice was to be in Government. There was little point in being on the opposition benches, protesting and objecting but having no access to make real change. I know Chris will do us proud in the build-up to the election and he will make an excellent MP. He has strong whanau support behind him. The problem with some political commentators is they have not done the yards in our Maori communities and they do not know or understand our people. They should concentrate on something that they do understand and leave commentating on Maori politics to those who have the background and experience to speak with authority.

This week we pay tribute to the life of a man who fought for justice and human rights and never gave up hope. Madiba Nelson Mandela, whakangaro atu ki te po e te rangatira. Moe mai ra ki to moenga roa.