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Politics | Māori

Oriini Kaipara seeking Māori Party candidacy for Tāmaki Makaurau Electorate

Former broadcaster and presenter Oriini Kaipara has announced she is seeking the Te Pāti Māori candidacy for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat.

Kaipara announced on social media, posting: “Kua eke te wā. It’s time. #tetirahou #tēneitearamainei,” confirming her intention to contest the party’s nomination in the upcoming by-election.

She is urging Te Pāti Māori members to attend the selection hui at Hoani Waititi Marae in West Auckland on July 10 to cast their vote. She’s also encouraging her supporters to join the party if they want to help her secure the candidacy.

The final candidate is expected to be announced on Friday.

Kaipara’s career spans roles at Mai FM, TVNZ’s Waka Huia, Māori Television’s Native Affairs, and Newshub’s Live at 4.30 pm, and Newshub Nation. In 2023, she was appointed Māori cultural lead for the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Kaipara is also a well-known West Auckland local, a former student at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Maungawhau, Te KKM o Hoani Waititi Marae, and one of the very first students to attend Te Wharekura o Hoani Waititi Marae.

Her announcement comes as Te Pāti Māori prepares to select a candidate for the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, triggered by the passing of MP Takutai Kemp.

Kaipara will contest the nomination alongside other hopefuls, with the successful candidate set to carry Te Pāti Māori’s flag in the by-election.

The Labour Party has not officially announced who they will be putting forward, but it is likely to be Peeni Henare, who held the seat before being beaten by Kemp by just 42 votes.

The National Party, which had a candidate in the 2023 election, has ruled out putting someone in the running.

The Green Party is also yet to confirm if and who their candidate might be.

The by‑election in Tāmaki Makaurau has yet to be confirmed by the Prime Minister.

Māni Dunlop
Māni Dunlop

Māni Dunlop (Ngāpuhi) is our Political Multimedia Journalist. An award-winning broadcaster and communications strategist, she brings a strong Māori lens to issues across the board. Her 15+ year career began at RNZ, where she became the first Māori weekday presenter in 2020. Māni is based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.