National MP Harete Hipango wants to stand in Te Tai Hauāuru for Election 2023

National MP Harete Hipango wants to stand for the Māori seat of Te Tai Hauāuru. Photo / Bevan Conley

List MP Harete Hipango wants to contest the Māori seat of Te Tai Hauāuru at this year’s election - opening the door for more Māori MPs in the National team to contest the other six Māori seats.

Hipango had been the MP for Whanganui from 2017 to 2020, and returned to Parliament on the list in May 2021 after the resignation of Nick Smith.

She had already put her name forward for the Whanganui seat again, but in a statement last week said she wanted to pursue selection in Te Tai Hauāuru.

“While I am proud to have represented Whanganui as its local MP from 2017 to 2020, I have decided to explore this new opportunity to continue to represent my community as a member of the National team,” she said.

“I commend Christopher Luxon and the National Party for taking the step to set up another Māori seat structure. I believe the time is right for the National Party to realise the value of the Māori seats to engage Māori voters and help to grow National’s share of the party vote.”

Speaker Adrian Rurawhe will stand only on the Labour list. Photo / Marty Melville

“I come from the Hipango Rangatira (chieftain) line of Whanganui at Putiki where founding Māori Party leader and former Te Tai Hauāuru MP Dame Tariana Turia also grew up. We share whakapapa and whanaungatanga.

“I am very much looking forward to an opportunity to seek the National Party’s nomination in Te Tai Hauāuru to continue the work of the Māori MPs and leaders who have gone before me.”

National’s leader Christopher Luxon told RNZ the Māori seats did not make much sense, but he was still keen to stand candidates in some of them.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer will stand for Te Pāti Māori in the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate at election 2023. Photo / Facebook

Te Tai Hauāuru is currently held by Labour’s Adrian Rurawhe - but he is not running again, saying he wants to focus on his role as Parliament’s Speaker.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has also announced plans to contest the seat. She ran in the 2020 election but lost to Rurawhe by 1053 votes.