Te Tai Haua¯ uru
Te Tai Haua¯uru electorate – along the west coast of the North Island – was dominated by the Ma¯ori Party until the last election.
Former Ma¯ori Party co-leader Dame Tariana Turia won the seat comfortably in the 2008 election and then did so again in 2011.
Turia retired from Parliament in 2014. The Labour Party’s Adrian Rurawhe won the seat that year by just over 1500 votes.
The 2017 election sees incumbent Rurawhe go up against former rugby league player and president of New Zealand Rugby League, Howie Tamati, of the Ma¯ori Party; Jack McDonald, who is standing in the seat for a third time for the Green Party; and independent Wikitoria Waitai-Rapana.
Te Tai Haua¯uru electorate extends up the west coast of the North Island, from Porirua and the Ka¯piti Coast in the south through to Whanganui and New Plymouth while its northern-most boundary extends to Kawhia.
The eastern boundary skirts Lake Taupo¯ and travels down the Ruahine and Tararua ranges to end near Belmont Regional Park, in the vicinity of Grenada North.
The electorate includes the iwi of Taranaki, Whanganui, Horowhenua, Manawatu, the Ka¯piti Coast and Porirua, along with Nga¯ti Raukawa and Nga¯ti Maniapoto.
There were 32,557 people enrolled on the Ma¯ori roll in Te Tai Haua¯uru in 2014. Of those, 66 per cent voted in that election.
The candidates Jack McDonald, Green Party: Ma¯ ori communications adviser for the Green Party. Iwi affiliations: Taranaki, Te Whakato¯ hea, Te A¯ tiawa.
The Greens are campaigning on ending poverty, cleaning up our rivers, and taking real action on climate change. Party vote Green to give us the influence to achieve this in government. I want to represent the people of Te Tai Haua¯uru. When people say they support me, I say that’s because of my No 11 list ranking. It’s also a party vote for the Greens that will elect me as an MP.
Adrian Rurawhe, Labour Party: Former chairman and negotiator for Nga¯ ti Apa. Iwi affiliation: Nga¯ ti Apa.
Te Tai Haua¯uru needs a Labour government so that we can build more affordable homes for wha¯nau to rent or buy. To also provide better education, better health services, clean up our rivers and to ensure that every young person is in work, education or training. Vote for me, Adrian Rurawhe, to be your MP, and party vote Labour.
Howie Tamati, Ma¯ ori Party: President New Zealand Rugby League, former New Plymouth District councillor. Iwi affiliations: Nga¯ ti Mutunga, Te Atiawa, Nga¯ i Tahu.
Living as Ma¯ori in this country is still a struggle. For many it’s a fight. We fight to exercise our rangatiratanga and to honour the Treaty that established this nation. I am standing for Parliament to work with others to build better futures, and I ask that you vote for me, Howie Tamati.
Wikitoria Waitai-Rapana, independent, mokopuna of Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, the Prophet.
I believe Ma¯ori need to band together, hold the balance of power in this election, then enforce the ratification of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We can stop the mining of our coast if we can bring the Ma¯ori seats together. Pa¯keha¯ will not give that to us, we have to claim it back ourselves by gaining the balance of power in this election. This will put an end to injustice. Where there is injustice, resistance becomes a duty.