As 2025 draws to a close, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Cushla Tangaere Manuel says Labour is firmly focused on winning back the Māori seats at the next election.
She adds that public support for Labour is growing, despite tensions within Te Pāti Māori.
“Ehara i te mea kei te mirimiri aku ringa i ngā āhuatanga i waenganui i Te Pāti Māori. Engari kei te mirimiri aku ringa i ngā āhuatanga o Te Pāti Reipa. Kei te kite te iwi whānui kua piki ake mātou i roto i ngā pōti.”
She says reclaiming the Māori electorates is a clear goal for both her and the party.
“Heoi anō rā, hoki tō hoki atu ki tō pātai, ko te hiahia ki roto i a au, i roto hoki i tōku pāti. Kia hoki mai ngā tūru Māori katoa ki Te Pāti Reipa.”
Labour’s priority is winning the next election so it can continue work aimed at lifting Māori wellbeing and improving outcomes for all New Zealanders.
Te pakanga mō ngā tūru Māori
“Ko taku hiahia kia hoki mai ngā tūru Māori katoa. Kia whai reo Māori, kia whai kanohi Māori, kia whai whakaaro Māori tō mātou kāwanatanga Reipa.”
She says key priorities include housing and building stronger, more effective partnerships between the Crown and iwi, pointing to recent crises as proof that collaboration works.
“Ko te hanga where tētahi. Ko tētahi atu ko te mahi tahi me ngā iwi. Te mahi tōtika i waenganui i te kāwanatanga me ngā iwi. I kite mātou i taua āhuatanga i roto i a Covid, i roto hoki i a Gabrielle.”
In her role as Labour’s Māori economic development spokesperson, Tangaere Manuel says the Māori economy is tracking in a positive direction, but its full potential has yet to be realised.
Te ohanga Māori kei te whanake
“Ko te mea mīharo, ehara i te whakaaro kotahi. Ko ētahi e titiro ana ki te hiko, arā energy. Ko ētahi e titiro ana ki te whakamahi i tō rātou whenua. He aha ngā hua pai mō ia whenua. Ko ētahi e whakaaro ana ki te whakamahi i ngā roto me ngā wai.”
She says Māori have long been innovators and traders, despite limited land holdings in some regions.
“Kāore he nui o mātou whenua. Engari he ruarua ngā roto o tō mātou rohe. Me kaua rawa e whakaaro he mea hou tēnei. Ko mātou ngā traders tuatahi o te whenua nei.”
Putting politics to one side, Tangaere Manuel says she is looking forward to the summer break and is urging whānau to take care over the holiday period.
“Ko te mea nui rawa atu ko te tangata me te aroha. Ahakoa ngā taumahatanga o te wā. Ko taku tūmanako kia noho haumaru koutou katoa. Kia noho tahi me ō koutou whānau. Me te hunga e ngākaunui ana koutou. Me te Kirihimete me te Tau Hou ki a koutou katoa.”
