Labour and Te Pāti Māori prepare for 2026 election contest in Māori electorates

The landscape for the 2026 General Election is taking shape as Labour and Te Pāti Māori begin their respective campaigns for the seven Māori electorates. Labour launched its Māori campaign on Saturday at Wainuiomata Marae in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate, where incumbent MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel expressed her determination to lead a team of seven Māori electorate MPs back to Parliament. Tangaere-Manuel, who was the only Labour candidate to win a Māori seat in the 2023 election, noted the logistical challenges and deep community ties involved in representing large geographical areas. In Hauraki-Waikato, a notable contest is forming as Labour’s Kingi Kiriona, a broadcaster and kapa haka exponent, prepares to challenge the incumbent Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. Kiriona, who sits at number 22 on the Labour list, emphasised that his candidacy offers voters a choice based on experience and specific skills. Meanwhile, Te Pāti Māori remains confident in its strategy, having recently launched its own campaign on the East Coast with a focus on securing the candidate vote. Further south, the contest for Te Tai Tonga will see Mananui Ramsden stand for Labour against Te Pāti Māori’s Lisa Marie Murch and the current incumbent, Tākuta Ferris. As reported by the NZ Herald, a significant community issue has emerged in this race regarding the preservation of a 550-year-old waka located on the Chatham Islands. Labour leader Chris Hipkins announced the party's commitment to funding the rescue of the ancient vessel, which is currently at risk due to storm damage and weather exposure. Both Ramsden and Ferris have actively advocated for the regeneration and protection of this taonga, highlighting a shared commitment to preserving Māori history and culture within the political arena.