Latest news with #Henare
The Spinoff
05-08-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
One MP, One Pint: Whisky and the new ‘Jacinda-wave' with Peeni Henare
Labour MP Peeni Henare is eyeing up a win in the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau byelection – but first, whisky and fried doughnuts. It's a Panhead pale ale for me and a whisky for Peeni Henare. I tell him that I definitely would've picked him as a beer man, and he assures me that he is – it's just that working in parliament for nearly 12 years teaches you a few things about drinking: it's easier to know your limit with whisky, whereas beer can be more of a blackhole. After all, it's only 5pm, Henare's work day lasts another five hours, and off-time has been at a minimum lately. On the weekends, he's been in campaign mode at Auckland's Ōtara markets in the lead-up to the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, shaking hands with voters and enjoying his favourite market grub: fried doughnuts. It's not a two-candidate race, but it might as well be, with Te Pāti Māori's Oriini Kaipara the other frontrunner likely to take the seat left by the party's late Takutai Tarsh-Kemp. The race could be a litmus test for Te Pāti Māori's popularity alongside the Toitū te Tiriti movement, or for the Labour vibe Henare says he's been catching: 'I've felt a Jacinda-wave – maybe not as big, but I felt a momentum, and it's a good sign in the build-up to 2026.' He says that on the ground, 'nobody ever says 'toitū te Tiriti' to me' – instead, constituents are concerned about work opportunities, access to good education and health services, and affordable housing. 'Our people are looking to see tangible results – that doesn't mean that we ignore te Tiriti,' Henare says. 'We want the Crown to be a responsible partner, but it's hard saying that to someone who's got nowhere to live, who's looking at the price of butter and thinking it's a treat.' Henare first came to parliament in 2014 as MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, a seat he held until the 2023 election. Reflecting on the state of the party back when he first started, after Labour suffered it's worst-ever election defeat, to Jacindamania and beyond, Henare says political life forces you to 'ride the high, and also ride the lows'. Being in the Labour Party kind of reminds him of his favourite rugby league team, the Warriors – you just have to keep telling yourself it's your year until it really is. Henare's the kind of man you could easily picture yourself drinking with into the early hours of the morning. He's got plenty of yarns to share, especially from his stint as minister for defence between 2020 and 2023 – like that time he and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak. Sunak had just been elected to the top spot, took the same train to the country as Henare ('he was first class, I was no class'), and boarded the train dressed in 'one of the most beautiful suits I've ever seen – the thing was was stitched onto him'. Their paths didn't properly cross over until later that day, after Henare had already met up with Zelensky. But when the Ukrainian leader caught sight of Sunak's attire, he turned to Henare and remarked, 'only the British show up to war in a suit'. THE SPINOFF PUB Q+A How much should a pint cost? I think a pint should be no more than $10. You might make an exception for a Guinness or a bougie boutique beer, but you should't have to go and buy a stubby for $16. Do you have a karaoke go-to? I've got a small handful, but my favourite one is: [begins singing] I would take the stars out of the sky for you … Or 'Wonderful Tonight', but that's a few whiskies deep, that one. Favourite place to get a drink in Aotearoa? I like having a beer at the Duke of Marlborough, because I'm from up there, there's deep history – there's still bullet holes in the building – plus it's beautiful: you can sit on the deck, [enjoy] the calm waters. They call it the hellhole of the Pacific, but I beg to differ. Which three MPs would be on your pub quiz team? Matua Winston, [because of his] broad knowledge and great memory recall – he tells me stories from the 70s when he met my grandparents, and he might repeat the stories every now and then, but the story never changes, which is pretty good. And I'm going to go with Duncan Webb: he's brainy, he's got a great sense of humour, he's got some quirky little knowledge too. And Barbara Edmonds because she loves her sport and history, is big on community and she's probably better at maths. Which MP from across the aisle would you most like to share a drink with? Mark Mitchell: we've played rugby together, I get on really well with him, we've very similar interests and he's just a choice rooster, you know? Which current policy would you like to call last rounds on? Any policy that is Māori bashing. I had just finished uni when Don Brash did the Ōrewa speech, and now we're 20 years down the track and we're still doing that, like, come on whānau … We just keep coming back to this thing, and we know why: because it's cheap and easy politics. Any policy that race baits, I'd like to see the ass-end of it. Is there an alcohol-related law you would like to change? I'd like to see the licensing trusts come into alignment – there's too much of a grey area and disparity in the work and financing that these trusts do. West Auckland's very specific and strict, and it works well in that community, but for others, there's been allegations of corruption and poor governance, and I'd love to see legislation that can tidy that up. What's a policy area we've been nursing without finishing the glass? Pay equity. I think there can be really good policy about how we manage it moving forward, and how we uplift the lowest paid, in a clear way that everyone understands. What qualities make a good drinking partner? Storytelling: a good storyteller can captivate this room, and if you've been in here, you've no doubt seen Winston hold court. It's all about storytelling, instead of a projection of personality. Have you ever had a Schnapp's election moment where you regretted your political instinct? I think if a politician says they haven't, they're lying. There are lots of things where I think, 'damn, I should've said [this], I should've been better, I shouldn't have let that emotion [take over]' … For example, trolls online – [I don't know] how many times I've typed something out and deleted it all. Sometimes, you just gotta rise above it.
NZ Herald
04-08-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Tāmaki Makaurau's byelection is really about Willie Jackson and John Tamihere
The byelection was called after the sudden death of Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in July after a battle with kidney disease. Labour list MP and grandson of Sir James Henare, Peeni Henare. Henare is a great orator and is considered, along with New Zealand First's Shane Jones and Te Pāti Māori's Rawiri Waititi, the best te reo Māori speakers in Parliament. He comes from distinguished political lineage and won the Tāmaki Makaurau seat in 2014, 2017 and 2020, only to lose it in 2023. His grandfather Sir James Henare stood for the National Party in five elections between 1946 and 1963 and his father Erima Henare was head of the Māori Language Commission. Henare's mum Te Hemo Ata Henare was a master weaver and his uncle, Māori activist Dun Mihaka, bared his buttocks to Queen Elizabeth II at Waitangi in 1986. While Kaipara doesn't have the same political whakapapa, she can hold her own in the te reo world, having been brought up in the Kura Kaupapa and Wharekura movements. Former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara. She was afforded the privilege to go total immersion, unlike many whānau of her parents' age who were punished for speaking the language. This byelection will not be one of full-frontal attacks – much to the disappointment of the Government, who would rather see Labour and Te Pāti Māori going toe-to-toe at each other. The byelection will be won by the party that can tap into the disillusioned among Māori. At the ballot box in 2023, of the 43,755 registered, only 27,038 actually voted. If Labour is to win, it must call on its strong ground game, door-knocking throughout the electorate and hitting the weekend markets in Avondale, Ōtara, Manukau and Manurewa. Tāmaki Makaurau has the biggest concentration of Māori in New Zealand. No doubt, Te Pāti Māori will also be on the ground but the party's edge comes in its multi-platform social media channels, which connect it to the younger cohort. Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke in Parliament during the debate on the Treaty Principles Bill. Photo / RNZ, Samuel Rillstone Waikato-Tainui MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke has more than 60,000 Facebook followers and 225,000 on Instagram – far exceeding anything Labour can match. Depending on how Jackson and Tamihere pull those levers will determine whether Te Pāti Māori keeps six MPs or Labour increases its number from 34 to 35. Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Silly games': Peeni Henare on passport design changes
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
Otago Daily Times
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Peeni Henare says government playing 'silly games'
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Tāmaki Makaurau byelection: Labour's Peeni Henare hits back at Te Pāti Māori claim of ‘greedy' byelection contest
Kemp narrowly beat Henare in the 2023 general election, a result that Labour requested be recounted, which led to Kemp's lead growing slightly to 42 votes. Shortly after Te Pāti Māori last week announced former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara as its candidate aiming to succeed Kemp, Kiri Tamihere-Waititi – party media liaison, wife to co-leader Rawiri Waititi and daughter to Tamihere – wrote on social media how a vote for Henare was a 'wasted' vote and claimed it was 'greedy' of Labour to run an existing MP in the byelection. Kiri Tamihere-Waititi published her views on social media. Photo / Andrew Warner She encouraged voters to support Kaipara as it would mean two Tāmaki Makaurau-based Māori MPs were in Parliament. Tamihere-Waititi's strategy proved an effective one for Te Pāti Māori in 2023 when Labour secured the largest party vote share in the Māori seats while Te Pāti Māori candidates won six of the seven electorate contests. Henare, speaking from Parliament this morning, dismissed any claim Labour was being greedy. 'Every green seat in the House of Parliament is a contested seat, anybody who thinks a seat is going to be given to somebody is absolute folly,' he said. 'In the last election, I got over 10,000 votes. I owe it to them too to make sure that they're represented, and that's why I put my hand up.' He noted Labour's Georgie Dansey, a wahine Māori, would enter Parliament if he won the byelection. 'Any suggestion that I'm curbing a Māori voice in Parliament is absolute folly and those kinds of reckons don't help what should be a good contest between two good candidates.' Speaking to the Herald last week, Tamihere said Henare could risk leadership aspirations if he was unsuccessful. Henare, who held Tāmaki Makaurau for three terms from 2014, described Tamihere's jab as a 'bit rich' and referenced the former MP's failed attempts to win the seat in 2005 and 2020, as well as an unsuccessful Auckland mayoralty bid. Labour MP Peeni Henare speaking before select committee. Photo / Mark Mitchell Henare clarified he had 'huge respect' for Kaipara, despite alleged efforts from Tamihere to 'drag me into the trenches for an all-out, toe-to-toe fist fight'. Stating he would run a respectful campaign, Henare said he would be encouraging 'out-of-the-box thinking' to gain support as well as a stronger social media presence, which he admitted Labour could improve in the face of a formidable and established Te Pāti Māori online operation. Henare and Kaipara were the primary contenders. Vision New Zealand leader Hannah Tamaki would also contest the seat. National, Act and New Zealand First were not entering candidates. Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who has run for the seat three times, confirmed last week her party would not contest the byelection as it was not a 'responsible use of our resources at this time'. Tamihere had argued it would boost his party's support base but Labour's Māori caucus chair Willie Jackson believed support would go both ways. 'This is very much a 50-50 election. We're not over-confident at all, we respect Te Pāti Māori and the young movement out there, but we've got a long history with Labour.' He claimed no backroom deals had been reached between Labour and the Greens about the latter not standing a candidate. Jackson repeated Henare's assertion Labour would run a clean campaign, but also said he was up for a fight. 'If they want to have a fight, Te Pāti Māori, well, I'm up for it, there's no problems with that, but that's not how we're going to run this campaign, this is a respectful campaign.' Labour MP Willie Jackson wants a clean campaign but won't back down from a fight. Photo / Mark Mitchell Labour leader Chris Hipkins today confirmed Henare would not be given leave from his Parliament duties to spend more time campaigning in Auckland. '[Henare] still has his job, he still needs to fulfil his responsibilities as a Member of Parliament.' Hipkins maintained Labour would have a 'very, very active ground game' and believed Henare's experience in Parliament would benefit him in the byelection. Luxon yesterday repeated his criticism of Hipkins for not further challenging the 2023 Tāmaki Makaurau result, indicating he would have pursued an election petition, which goes beyond a recount. Hipkins today said Labour had been advised a petition was likely to have been unsuccessful, given Kemp's share of the vote increased after the recount. Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald's Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
