Mananui Ramsden has put his nomination forward to stand for the Labour Party for Te Tai Tonga electorate, saying cost of living pressures and infrastructure needs across the rohe have driven his decision to seek a place in Parliament.
A self-described pā boy who was ‘dragged up in the kitchen’, Ramsden has extensive hapū, marae leadership and governance experience, as the former chair of Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata and has done vast work in environmental and freshwater advocacy.
Ramsden, a desendent of Hoani Te Raki Tīkao, one of the signatories of Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Takupūneke, says that whakapapa underpins his political motivation and his decision to stand.
“Ultimately, I’m a mokopuna of the hands that signed this Treaty,” he said.
Asked why he chose Labour, Ramsden said progress requires collective effort across communities.
“In order to be able to break through the ceilings, which everyone needs to do here, we need each other. It’s not solely reliance on Māori to get everything done,” he said.
He says financial strain on whānau remains a defining issue across the electorate.
“Ko te pūtea, me te nui o te pūtea mō te kai me ētahi atu mea hei hanga whare. Inā hoki te tokomaha o tātou e noho para pōhara tonu ana,” he said.
Ramsden says kanohi kitea will be central to his campaign, committing to repeated travel across the vast Te Tai Tonga electorate, including visits to Rēkohu Wharekauri, Chatham Islands.
“I’ll be doing about four laps of our takiwā and at least two trips to Rēkohu, Wharekauri, because kanohi kitea to be seen, to be trusted, and to be ultimately bestowed the opportunity to represent,” he said.
Ramsden said his focus would be on listening and advocating for the aspirations of all whānau across the rohe.
“Kei te noho tātou katoa ki te kāinga, ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea. Māku hei whakapau kaha ngā wawata katoa,” he said.
“Kei te mōhio hoki koe ko te haukāinga e noho ana hei akiaki ngā wīra, ngā hiahia katoa, ahakoa mana whenua, ahakoa mātāwaka.”
Asked what kind of MP he would aim to be, Ramsden was clear.
“One with the ears on, one with the eyes on, and one that’s prepared to take it into Parliament and fight for,” he said.
His nomination comes as Labour continues to shape its candidate line-up ahead of this years general election, with Tawhiao McMaster expected to stand in Te Tai Hauāuru and Willow-Jean Prime confirmed as Te Tai Tokerau candidate.
Tāmaki Makaurau’s candidate will be confirmed in the coming weeks - with the candidacy currently contested, this follows the resignation of Peeni Henare last week at Waitangi.
MP Takuta Ferris, currently holds Te Tai Tonga as an independent after being expelled from Te Pāti Māori.
