It was an emotional start to the Te Tai Hauāuru Whakatau 2026 debate, with the death of Adrian Rurawhe the focus of grieving candidates tonight.
Earlier today, the whānau of the former Speaker announced his death. He was also a past electorate MP.
His whanaunga Coral Raukawa is standing for National and is the party’s only candidate flying the flag in a Māori electorate.
Her voice trembled when co-host Maiki Sherman asked her for her reflections on the widely respected parliamentarian.
“He was always there, and he was always humble,” Raukawa said.
“I could get pretty verbal at our marae hui, but kei te pai because we all fought for the same thing.
“We all wanted the same thing.”
Labour’s candidate Te Pūoho Kātene said Rurawhe led with grace and aroha.
“I think in addition to showing me the ropes on how to stand on my feet in this electoral race, what I really admired about Adrian is that he showed me that you don’t have to become hard in politics.
“That you can still maintain your integrity and your kindness and your aroha for people, and you don’t have to move into that ana o te raiona and become a raiona yourself.”
The debate was short a candidate tonight as Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer had already indicated she would be pulling back from campaigning due to her mother’s illness.
But the incumbent is leading the trio.
A Whakaata Māori-Curia poll this morning revealed that Ngarewa-Packer is preferred by 38 percent of those polled, holding an 11-point lead on Kātene, who is on 27 percent, and Raukawa is sitting on 10 per cent support, with 18 percent undecided.
Death threat allegations
Raukawa is a rarity.
In 2021, National changed its policy to allow candidates to stand in the seats.
Still, the Rangitīkei District councillor was optimistic about her chances, saying she was “stoked” that she’d gone from zero support to double digits.
But she was also vulnerable about the personal cost of standing.
“For me as a Māori in National it’s been hard work.”
Pressed on what sort of response she’d had from Māori in the electorate, Raukawa said:
“So I’ve received death threats and so have my family.
“It’s a bit of a heavy taumaha (heavy) burden to carry that, as well as carry the kaupapa that you want to represent your people.”
There were missteps from her.
She seemed to disagree with her own party’s recently passed legislation regarding move-on orders, which gives police the power to order adults to move on - and targets begging, rough sleeping and blocking business access.
Māori wardens should be given more powers to deal with the issue, she argued.
“I think there’s a better way of moving on those who are homeless in a dignified way.”
She was pressed by Sherman: “So the National-led government got it wrong?”
She repeated her answer.
Te Pūoho Kātene said the orders criminalised the homeless, 60 per cent of whom are Māori.
Labour, economics and the weight of history
For his part, Kātene was measured in his responses.
The Fulbright scholar was over the fine detail of cost of living pressures - rattling off the price of milk and 91 petrol.
“The economy isn’t growing. The economy at the last report dropped by .8 per cent... Christopher Luxon came in and said we’re going to come in and solve the cost of living. He absolutely has not.
“It is still the number one issue our people are dealing with,” he said.
History sets this Māori electorate apart from others.
It is the rohe of T.W. Ratana who made that famous political pact with Labour last century, and it is also the region that supported Tariana Turia when she crossed the floor during the Foreshore and Seabed furore.
That move forever changed the face of Māori politics and resulted in the birth of Te Pāti Māori.
Kātene was asked if he would’ve crossed the floor, like Dame Tariana in 2004.
“Foreshore and Seabed is something we can never forget..
“If we forget, we risk doing the same thing over again.
“I’m really happy that I’m in a party that has at its foremind that Te Tiriti is a key part of what we do and empowering our MPs to ensure we don’t have to make that call.”
Following a legacy
It was probably a debate that Adrian Rurawhe would’ve approved of.
The tone was good-natured, and the pair were genial and respectful of each other.
At the top of the debate, Rurawhe’s last speech to Parliament was played out.
In his own gentle way, he shared why he entered politics.
“I came here to be the best electorate MP for Te Tai Hauāuru that I could be and to represent the people and to advocate for the things that were important to them.”
Sentiments no doubt easily shared by the candidates tonight.
