Boost for those on Living Wage, nearly half of retail burglaries are committed by youths & is PM Chris Hipkins' Honeymoon over in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
History-making MP Soraya Peke-Mason will be Labour’s candidate to contest the Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate in this year’s general election.
She’ll be aiming to emulate the success of Labour colleague and cousin Adrian Rurawhe who narrowly won the Manawatū-Whanganui, Taranaki and Wellington electorate by about 1000 votes over the Māori Party’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer in 2020.
Earlier this year, Ngarewa-Packer declared she would again contest the seat and was considered a strong contender after Rurawhe, now the Speaker of the House, confirmed he would not seek re-election and would move to Labour’s list.
Peke-Mason was sworn in as an MP in October last year after coming in from the list following the retirement of former Speaker, Trevor Mallard.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is escorted by Labour MP and Rātana member Soraya Peke-Mason and Kiri Allan on to Rātana Pa Marae this year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In a statement today, Peke-Mason said she was honoured to fight to represent her turangawaewae in Te Tai Hauāuru.
“I will continue to be a strong advocate for the policies Labour has achieved and will achieve to advance kaupapa Māori.”
She referenced Labour’s efforts in the electorate since 2017, including $2.8 million for an iwi collective to assist in the Covid-19 response in several regions and contributing almost $11m towards a new trades training centre in Tokoroa.
Ngarewa-Packer, speaking to the Herald, said Rurawhe’s promotion to Speaker was one of few actions the Labour Government had taken to benefit Te Tai Hauāuru outside of what was “business as usual”.
“From my perspective, I don’t think Labour should be patting themselves on the back for business as usual, that’s what they’re expected to do.”
With Ardern’s resignation, the Māori Party co-leader predicted 2023 would be a distinctly different election compared with three years ago as the cost of living took prominence as an election issue.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The National Party had also entered the race for Te Tai Hauāuru by choosing Harete Hipango as its candidate - the first in a Māori electorate since 2002.
The seat has not voted for National since the party was formed. In 1931, Western Māori, as it was then known, elected Taite Te Tomoa, an MP from the Reform Party -one of the two parties that formed a coalition and later merged to become the National Party.
Who is Soraya Peke-Mason?
Peke-Mason served on the national body of the Rātana Church for more than a decade, spent 12 years on Rangitikei District Council and chaired her iwi, Ngāti Rangi, through post-Treaty settlement.
“Politics was not my chosen path, it was encouraged by others and circumstances.”
She spoke briefly of her childhood, growing up in the suburb of Kokohuia, also known as Castlecliff.
Her mother, widowed in her early 20s, worked hard to raise Peke-Mason and her five siblings, working nights, and fishing for kai when times were tough.
Peke-Mason referenced her surprise at the proliferation of Māori culture upon returning to New Zealand after a stint overseas, particularly the growth of Māori education such as kōhanga reo and kura.
“[In the past], we only saw tinges of our identity through tangihanga. At times, some were ashamed to be Māori,” she said.
“I watched my mother struggling to learn te reo Māori, I knew I had to find out who I am as wahine Māori.
“It has been a struggle learning te reo, I still grieve for that loss. Like many others, it’s a challenge we will take to our graves.”
