Local candidates’ wins confirmed

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel has retained Ikaroa-Rāwhiti after official election results were confirmed yesterday, but she is now the only Labour MP holding one of the seven Māori electorates.

The former East Coast Rugby Union chief executive and first time MP, won with a majority of 2843 votes.

She had a safe election night lead of 2860 over Te Pāti Māori candidate Meka Whaitiri who resigned from the Labour Party in May of last year.

Former cabinet minister Whaitiri was the only Te Pāti Māori candidate to suffer defeat in a Māori electorate although there may be a recount in Tāmaki Makaurau where former Cabinet Minister Peeni Henare trails by four votes.

On election night Ms Tangaere-Manuel attributed her victory to the influence of the late Parekura Horomia in the electorate.

Ms Whaitiri, who held the seat for nine years as a Labour MP and first won the electorate in a 2013 byelection following the death of the Māori Affairs Minister, often praised Mr Horomia in a similar way.

National’s East Coast candidate Dana Kirkpatrick had her victory confirmed with an official majority of 3117 votes, down from the election night majority of 3138 over Labour List MP Tamati Coffey.

Mr Coffey was a late replacement for the troubled Cabinet Cinister Kiri Allan who resigned in July.

Ms Allan won the electorate in 2020, becoming the first Labour candidate to win the seat since 2005.

“We definitely held our own,” said Ms Kirkpatrick.

“But there is a lot of hard work to do and I’m excited we can now move on and start work.

“ We will not find out what our portfolios are until the Government is formed and the Prime Minister has completed coalition talks.”