Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Te Pāti Māori hopes to retain the Tāmaki Makaurau seat until the next election.
Former Newshub broadcaster Oriini Kaipara has been chosen to contest the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election for Te Pāti Māori.
The by-election has been triggered by the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp, who died suddenly two weeks ago.
Kaipara (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi) was selected at a behind-closed-doors hui at Hoani Waititi Marae on Thursday evening.
Co-leader Rawiri Waititi told Morning Report every election was a fight, and the party was prepared to go into the fight to ensure it kept a hold of the Tāmaki Makaurau seat through to the next election.
"Because we believe that the seat is a Te Pāti Māori seat right up to the next election and unfortunately, Takutai's untimely death means that we're having to fight for it again."
Labour's Peeni Henare previously held the Tāmaki Makaurau seat, before being beaten by Kemp in the 2023 election by a slim margin of 42 votes.
Henare had held the seat since 2014.
RNZ understands Labour's internal nomination process is underway and will close on Friday.
Oriini Kaipara has a vast amount of experience, Te Pāti Māori says. Photo: Screenshot / YouTube / Newshub
Waititi said Kaipara was a strong candidate and brought with her a vast amount of experience.
Kaipara has most recently worked as Pouwhiringa Māori culture lead for the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
In 2021, she became the first wāhine Māori with moko kauae to present a mainstream primetime news bulletin, when she fronted Newshub Live at 6pm.
Kaipara said she was pledging to tackle the cost of living crisis facing Tāmaki whānau, with a focus on housing, youth homelessness, and skyrocketing food bills.
She said if elected her key priorities would be securing mana whenua first right of refusal on significant private land, driving kaupapa Māori housing solutions to eliminate rangatahi houselessness, and expending investment in kaupapa Māori education models such as Te Aho Matua.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is yet to announce the date for a by-election.
However, the Speaker of the House published the notice of vacancy in the Gazette on Wednesday, meaning the Governor-General will issue a writ within 21 days of 9 July, instructing the Chief Electoral Officer to conduct the by-election.
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