In his post cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed that 6 September to be the date for the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.
Meanwhile, Labour list MP Peeni Henare is defending his decision to run, saying his candidacy gives voters a genuine choice.
Henare says the decision ultimately lies with the people of Tāmaki Makaurau. At the last general election, more than 10,000 voters backed him in the electorate, where he lost by just 42 votes.
“Ko tāku e mea atu ana, kua wāteahia tōku tuahine, tata nei, a Takutai, i te tūranga. Nā, me tukuna atu te pātai anō ki ngā hunga pōti ki roto o Tāmaki Makaurau, mā wai hei whakakī i te tūranga i whakawātehia nei e tōku tuahine, a Takutai,” Henare said.
If successful, Henare says Labour would be able to bring in another MP from its party list, Georgie Dansey, who is also Māori.
“Kua kite atu ahau i ētahi o ngā kōrero meingia ana, e hoa kei te haukoti a Peeni i te reo o tētahi atu Māori ki roto i te whare pāremata. Mehemea ka wikitōria ahau, ko te tangata ka whai tūranga i tō mātou rārangi ingoa he Māori, he wahine Māori.”
He rēhi takirua
Ahakoa tana whakaae ka tata rawa te rēhi mo te tūru o Tāmaki Makaurau, hei tā Peeni, kāore ngā kaipōti o Tāmaki Makaurau e kite ana i ngā kaitono a-pāti nei, engari ko te mana o te kaitono kē ka kitea.
“Kaore e kore ka āhua pātata nei nā te mea he Māori katoa tātou. Me te mea anō hoki, ko te nuinga o ngā kaipōti, kāhore e kite atu – ko te hoiho a Te Pāti Māori, ko te hoiho a Te Rōpū Reipa, kāhore. Ko te nuinga ka kite atu, arā a Peeni, arā a Oriini. No reira koina tēnā e mea atu ana, kāore e kore ka tata.”
