Cushla Tangaere-Manuel Emerges as Rising Voice for Māori Sovereignty in Parliament

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel is being recognised as a significant emerging voice for Māori following a major promotion within the Labour Party. The Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP has risen to number nine on the party’s list, a move that places her in contention for a Cabinet post should Labour return to government, as reported by the NZ Herald. Still in her first term in Parliament, Tangaere-Manuel has made a strong impression through her ability to navigate both Māori and mainstream political worlds. She recently performed the high-profile role of introducing Labour leader Chris Hipkins at a party congress in Wellington, following a kapa haka performance from Wainuiomata. During her introduction, she referenced the leadership the country needs, specifically a leader who acknowledges that Māori did not cede sovereignty. Tangaere-Manuel advocates for mana motuhake Māori, or Māori sovereignty, through a lense of partnership and innovation. Speaking with the NZ Herald from her Parliament office, she explained that mana motuhake does not reside within the House, but rather belongs with whānau, hapū, and at the marae where people whakapapa. She believes the role of government is to empower this by treating iwi as partners and providing policies that enable Māori self-determination. Residing in her childhood home in Rangitukia, north of Gisborne, Tangaere-Manuel brings a diverse background to her role. A former host of the talent show “Maorioke” on Māori TV, she is known for her natural flair and bilingualism. As the only Labour MP currently holding a Māori electorate seat against Te Pāti Māori, she has become a central figure for the party’s engagement with Māori voters, framing the Indigenous experience as an integral part of the mainstream of Aotearoa New Zealand.