Tāmaki Makaurau by-election to be held in September
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Tāmaki Makaurau by-election will be held on Saturday 6 September.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the date for the by-election this afternoon.
The byelection was triggered by the death of
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp
late last month.
Former journalist and broadcaster Oriini Kaipara will run for Te Pāti Māori, while Peeni Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, will contest the seat for the Labour.
Hannah Tamaki will contest the seat for Vision New Zealand.
Speaking at a post-cabinet conference, Luxon said National would not contest the vacant seat.
"Across the Māori seats, we've typically not run candidates [and] where we have it's all been about a party vote campaign in general elections," Luxon said.
"That's what our focus has been so, we don't see a need for us to run a candidate in Tāmaki Makaurau."
Kaipara said last week
she pledged to tackle the cost of living crisis with a focus on housing, youth homelessness, and food bills.
"Māori are being attacked left, right and centre for purely existing. It's vile and it's not good enough," she said.
"My role now is to move from covering the story to changing it."
Henare said he was "humbled and honoured"
to be selected by his party.
Access to quality and affordable health services, affordable housing and relief from the rising cost of living were a top priority.
"Tāmaki Makaurau is where I was born and is my home. I know the challenges that many whānau are facing. The cost of living is putting significant pressure on whānau just to put kai on the table,"
"My focus is clear. To fight for real solutions so our people can flourish," Henare said.
Luxon said it would be interesting to see whether the by-election would be a "real fight" or a "pillow fight" between Labour and Te Pāti Māori.
He said he "felt sorry" for Henare, who he said was thrown "under the bus" by Labour leader Chris Hipkins at the last election for not finding another way to challenge the narrow loss.
The Green Party have also ruled out running a candidate.
The by-election Writ Day will be 30 July and the deadline for candidate nominations is midday Tuesday 5 August.
The last day for the return of the Writ will be Sunday 28 September.
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