With voting now open in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, two of the five candidates went head-to-head at Ōrākei Marae in a debate hosted by Te Ao Māori News and The Hui.

Te Pāti Māori candidate Oriini Kaipara and Labour’s Peeni Henare were questioned on a range of issues facing Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau and across Aotearoa.

Both candidates shared what they see as their biggest fight in Parliament on day one if elected, with Kaipara naming pay equity and Henare vowing to focus on getting the current government out.

Cost of living

When both were asked about what they would like to focus on when trying to help Tāmaki Makaurau with cost of living.

Kaipara outlined Te Pāti Māori policies such as removing GST from fruit and vegetables and not taxing the first $30,000 of income. But she said her first priority on day one would be to “listen”.

“What is instrumental is actually not coming in and telling you how I’m going to fix your problems; it’s actually coming in and genuinely listening.

“Listening to all of our communities, not just applying a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said.

Henare went into what Labour had previously done when it was leading the government.

“We’ve got a track record of doing it, we can do it again to alleviate those pressures on our whānau, lift wages, make sure people are paid what they deserve and give them opportunities for their own mana motuhake.”

When a capital gains tax question was asked, Henare curbed the question, saying the party would announce its policies at a later date.

Māori interests

With the coalition government removing te reo Māori from signs and books, while also disestablishing many bodies that support Māori, Kaipara said she would “entrench Te Tiriti” to try to stop the current government.

“We are moving towards entrenching Te Tiriti by implementing all Matike Mai recommendations.

“We will invest heavily into further consultation with Māori around the building of a new constitutional model that recognises our rangatiratanga and create a governance model that works for Aotearoa.”

The Labour MP said the support needed in the House was 90 seats, stressing the importance of including Treaty partners along the journey.

“…which means if you build yourself on an island in isolation, you won’t have that opportunity to be able to do what we are talking about.

“I believe that there is a pathway forward to doing that. We must be able to build those bridges to bring the treaty partner along on the journey in order for us to achieve that. Otherwise, we will find ourselves on an island all alone,” he said.

Te Pāti Māori candidate added that if Act party can entrench the Regulatory Standards Bill, she can entrench Te Tiriti.

Henare swiped back, saying the RSB wasn’t entrenched and could be repealed.

Final comments

In closing statements, Henare said Tāmaki Makaurau had some important descions to make so that the electorate had its strongest voice in parliament.

“Whether you are on your reo journey, or on your whakapapa journey, or you are tied to our whānau back in the marae, back in the wā kāinga, we are here for everybody.

“That is the job right in front of us to bring us all togther forward on this waka for the betterment - not only of Tāmaki Makaurau - but for Aotearoa whānui.”

Kaipara revisited last year’s nationwide hīkoi in her final comments.

“Tāmaki Makaurau the time has come. You didn’t march along with everybody who started in Te Rerenga Wairua right down to whare o te Pāremata last year to go backwards.

“You march to go forward, you march for change, you march and told us all back then, and you’re still saying it now. We are ready for transformation.

“When you vote for me, you are voting for you, you are voting for Tāmaki Makaurau.”

Voting in the by-election closes on 6 September at 7pm.

Watch the full debate in the video above.