Rawiri Waititi to stand for Māori Party in Waiariki in 2020 general election

Rawiri Waititi. Photo / File

Rawiri Waititi will stand for the Māori Party in Waiariki at September's general election.

The 39-year-old's candidacy was today confirmed in Rotorua.

Waiariki Māori Party electorate chairwoman Verna Ohia-Gates said Waititi was an outstanding choice and the team will be working extremely hard over the next six months to win the seat.

"I would also like to congratulate other candidates who put their names forward for selection. The decision has been made by the members of Waiariki, now it's time to get Rawiri back around the table," Ohia-Gate said.

Waititi said he had no initial plans to get back into politics – he stood for Labour in 2014.

Waititi joins Debbie Ngarewa-Packer – who is standing in the western Māori seat Te Tai Hauāuru as the first two confirmed Māori Party candidates.

Rawiri Waititi and aunty Dame June Mariu. Photo / Supplied

Party President Che Wilson congratulated Waititi for taking on this challenge.

"We are assembling a very strong team and will be working hard in each of the Māori electorates," Wilson said.

Rawiri Waititi profile

I am a 39-year-old father of five, a son, a mokopuna, an uncle, a nephew, a whanaunga and have dedicated most of my life to the wellbeing of our people - from our tamariki mokopuna through to our pakeke.

I have strong spiritual beliefs and I am an active member and Tohunga / Minister of the Ringatū Faith.

I am a mokopuna of the Waiariki iwi through my Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāi Tai, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui ancestry.

I believe in the Māori Party's direction, values and principles.

I have strong beliefs in equality for all and am committed to representing and advocating for our people and Aotearoa whānui.

Working as a Funding Advisor for Creative New Zealand, I was involved with evaluating and implementing strategies for the development of Māori arts in line with Creative New Zealand strategic goals and objectives.

As such, I have significant experience in the creative arts sector.

Being exposed to the high calibre of artists and art forms has given me a great understanding of the importance of the preservation and maintenance of the creative arts, our taonga tuku iho and unleashing the potential of our people's creativity and innovation in the arts sector.

Being a native speaker of te reo Māori, I am committed to the preservation and maintenance of te reo Māori and government must work together to ensure the preservation of the Māori language.

I have been heavily involved in the development of integrated services approach to community and whānau development through Whānau Ora.

It has given me a broad scope on the education, welfare, health, housing and justice sectors and how they can be integrated to empower whānau.

I come from a line of educators and esteemed Māori Leaders who have a history to progress their people; uncle Hoani Retimana Waititi, aunty Dame June Mariu to name two.

Since my childhood, I was moulded to follow in the footsteps of my whānau and was raised as such by my hapū. I have ingrained extremely strong beliefs regarding the importance of education.

Having spent the first half of my life in the rural East Coast and the second half in Auckland, I have spent the last seven years as the relationship manager for Te Rūnanga o Te Whānau ā Apanui and during that time have been fortunate to make strong relationships with iwi, hapū, communities, providers and organisations right across the Waiariki Region.

Raised by an English grandmother and very Māori grandparents, all extremely knowledgeable in their own worlds, I am able to comfortably walk in both te ao Māori and the Pākehā world with confidence and ease.