The National Party candidate for the Māori electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru will continue her work as a rural councillor while campaigning.
“The campaigning will be extra hours over and above my council work,” Māori ward councillor Coral Raukawa says.
“I’m obligated and committed to council. I haven’t had to resign. I have let the mayor know. He said duties as normal.”
Raukawa is serving her third term on the Rangitīkei District Council and her second representing the Tīkīeitia ki Tai (Coastal) Māori ward.
Her selection was announced by the National Party on Tuesday.
Raukawa will stand in the November general election against the incumbent, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngārewa-Packer, and Labour’s Te Pūoho Katene, a Fulbright scholar from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
In 2023, the National Party announced that Harete Hipango would stand for the electorate, marking the party’s first candidacy in a Māori electorate since 2002.
Te Tai Hauāuru electorate covers from Ōtorohanga to Porirua.
If Raukawa wins the seat, she will resign from the council, triggering a by-election.
“I recognise that a by-election comes at a cost to ratepayers and I don’t take that lightly,” Raukawa told Local Democracy Reporting.
“My hope is that our ratepayers would continue to receive the strong representation they deserve and that the community would ultimately benefit from that continued service.”
She first entered the council herself through a by-election in a general seat before re-standing successfully in 2022 when Māori wards were introduced.
If Raukawa’s bid is unsuccessful, she will complete her council term, which ends in 2028.
Raukawa grew up in Marton and Whanganui and has whakapapa throughout the electorate, to Nga Wairiki Ngati Apa, Ngati Tamakopiri, Tamaupoko, Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Kahungunu.
She spent more than two decades working in education, training and employment in Whanganui, Taranaki, Rangitīkei and Palmerston North, and her early career included roles at iwi radio station Awa FM and Maatua Whāngai.
Local government had provided a solid foundation for working in central government, but she said as a member of parliament she would be “able to do more for a wider group of people”.
“How can we effect change if we’re not sitting at the table? There are a lot of concerns in Māoridom. I want to be able to help our people.
“First and foremost, what is it that our people want, what are their needs?”
Raukawa said she was honoured to share National’s plan to “fix the basics”.
“Why National? I’ve been asked that question a lot. It’s about looking at what added value I could bring. The biggest thing is that our people have Māori representation.
“I want to help our people build the future for our mokopuna, our kids.”
In an earlier statement, Raukawa said National’s economic management had slowed price increases and flattened mortgage repayments and rents.
“There’s still more work to do, but the economy is growing again, with 220,000 more jobs projected, higher wages, and lower taxes.
Streets are safer because of National’s focus on restoring law and order, she said.
“Our kids are back at school, learning the basics brilliantly and making good progress like the 40 per cent of Māori new entrants performing at or above standard in reading – up from 25 per cent."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
