Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Model mum joins daughter on campaign trail

By Lawrence Gullery
Hawkes Bay Today·
18 Jun, 2013 08:30 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

It has been almost 50 years since Mei Whaitiri modelled for one of Hawke's Bay's most well-known tourist attractions, Te Pania of the Reef statue.

She visited the landmark on Napier's marine parade yesterday with her daughter Meka, who is contesting the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election under the Labour Party banner.

Labour is focusing hard on Napier and Hastings this week with its leader David Shearer and his MPs David Parker, Moana Mackey and Phil Twyford all in town to support Meka's campaign.

Mei and her husband Wi Rangi were with Meka when she presented to a group of kaumatua at te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in Hastings yesterday.

"When Meka was selected for the Labour party, we thought that would be it for us but we've been busy with her ever since," Mei said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We say a karakia every morning for Meka, to keep her safe, and we help look after our mokopuna, Meka's two children, while she's out campaigning."

Mei and Wi Rangi had been on parts of the campaign trail with their daughter as well. The family grew up in Whakatu but they have whakapapa or family ties in Manutuke marae near Gisborne, where Meka will be on election night, June 29.

Mei said she had offered lots of advice to her daughter to help with her campaign, especially when it came to issues relating to the kaumatua, or senior people, of Ikaroa-Rawhiti.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I say that the advice we give has a lot to do with the circle of people we mix in," she said, indicating to the kaumatua gathered at the taiwhenua.

Inside the meeting, Meka told the group of kaumatua she was serious about representing the people of Ikaroa-Rawhiti and named three of the top issues important for Maori.

"My first job in Wellington was with Parekura Horomia at the Department of Labour. We used to go up and down the country from marae to marae to listen to the people. That was 30 years ago and people told us there were three things they wanted, good mahi (work), education for their moko and retention of the reo and tikanga. I would guess that nothing has changed and that is still what people want."

Ms Whaitiri said it was difficult to stand up before a crowd and say "vote for me" but she urged people to make sure they did vote to have their say.

"What I've done is introduce myself and share a bit of my story. I want jobs for whanau, pathways for rangatahi and reo in every home. I want to lead the way in terms of post (Treaty) settlement, create warmer and affordable homes for whanau.

"I am told that's what Labour is about and I will hold them to account on that if I am successful."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay
Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Some roads remained blocked.

17 Jul 06:02 AM
'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues
Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

17 Jul 04:06 AM
Premium
Premium
Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP