10 quick questions: Peeni Henare’s advice for Labour, favourite National MP as he leaves politics after 12 years

Retiring senior Labour MP Peeni Henare in his office at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

For Peeni Henare, it’s the Warriors, heaps of seafood, a good history book and ample time with his kids.

Everything else can wait now that the senior Labour MP is retiring after a busy 12 years as a politician.

He is a familiar face from his time as Defence Minister, as a key leader during the pandemic for the Ardern Government, and as a regular speaker for Labour during pōwhiri.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to arrive at, let’s be very clear, sleepless nights ... am I making the right decision?” he told the Herald.

“I think it’s my time, I’ve given a lot here, and when you give a lot here it takes away from other spaces.”

Peeni Henare, as Defence Minister, fronts a media stand-up at Parliament. Photo / NZME

Henare’s departure is a shock for those who saw him as an enduring figure of Māori politics. Over his time in Parliament, he’s stepped away from the front benches of the debating chamber to protest for Māori causes.

He marched in the national 2024 hīkoi to Parliament and joined the Te Pāti Māori haka in the House after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, a move that landed him in front of Parliament’s disciplinary Privileges Committee.

His move to politics was no fluke. His great-grandfather is Taurekareka “Tau” Henare, an MP for the former Northern Māori electorate from 1914 to 1938, and the first person (along with MPs Āpirana Ngata and Charles Parata) to perform a haka in the House.

He is the grandson of Sir James Henare, lieutenant colonel in the Māori Battalion and revered Tai Tokerau kaumātua, and his cousin is former National and NZ First MP Tau Henare.

Peeni Henare's grandfather Sir James Henare pictured with Prince Charles and his wife Diana at the opening of the Waitangi Visitors Centre, in 1983. Photo / Northern Advocate

Coming from a long lineage of National party allies, it was picking Labour in 2014 that was a more conscious decision.

“My family are National ... when I said to my whānau, I’m standing for Parliament for the Labour party ... a few of them choked on their cup of tea.”

NZ First leader Winston Peters said Henare would leave a “serious gap” in experience for Labour: ”He’s got the lineage, he’s got the training, and they haven’t got a replacement".

Henare’s grandfather was a mentor to Peters in the 1970s, and Peters would stay at his house. Henare said when he entered Parliament, Peters would tell him stories about his time with his grandparents.

NZ First leader Winston Peters questions Labour MP Peeni Henare during his appearance before Privileges Committee. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Losing the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection in 2025 took its toll on Henare.

The MP contested the seat against Te Pāti Māori newcomer Oriini Kaipara, a fight he called his “redemption journey” as he went hard to win back the electorate he had once held for nearly a decade.

Several months after that loss, and with the prospect of starting that fight all over again in the 2026 general election, he announced his retirement.

He batted off rumours there was anything nefarious behind the move, including “hand on heart” there was no bad blood between him and senior Labour MP Willie Jackson.

Peeni Henare speaks on the marae about his father's desire to ensure te reo Maori is kept alive. Photos / Michael Cunningham

He will miss Parliament: the staff, the Parliamentary security guards who he developed a habit of exchanging mutton birds for kina with, and even the media (he claims) who relentlessly shoved microphones in his face.

Henare is yet to confirm his next move. He says he is open to heeding calls from his iwi Ngāpuhi (should they come) to help with settlement negotiations, which have lasted more than 20 years.

But for now, you’ll find him on a Far North beach with his kids, far from the bells of Parliament.

10 quick questions with Peeni Henare

All Blacks or Warriors?

It’s always been Up the Wahs for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the All Blacks but the Warriors for Tāmaki Makaurau have been transforming.

Should Ngāpuhi have a single settlement?

Ngāpuhi should have a single settlement in terms of the quantum, and we can work out of the rest of the detail after that.

Biggest regret in Parliament?

I don’t know if regret is the right word but it was the part when I challenged and questioned myself the most which was through Covid. I was the Māori Minister of Health at the time (and) had to make some bloody hard decisions.

Those are the ones that stick with me the most, and where I ask myself, did I make the right decision, could I have done more, should I have done something different? I’m reminded of it every time I go around the country.

Favourite MP from the other side of the House?

I love Mitch – Mark Mitchell (the Police Minister). I get on well with Mitchell, we play rugby together, we’ve done a lot of work together, so he is one that comes to mind.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Best day at Parliament?

Any day there is a treaty settlement. Whether you are in power or Opposition, when you speak to treaty settlements, it’s moving. I don’t know how many times I’ve cried in the House through settlement speeches.

Things that you were looking forward to doing that you couldn’t do as an MP?

Time with kids, you never get that time back. Sad to say I’ve missed first netball games, start of school year, all those kinds of things.

I looked at an old calendar where my kids would mark the days that I would be home and it was worked out to be like seven or eight days a month, and that’s just no way to be a father.

What could Labour be doing better ahead of the election in your view?

It’d be silly to say that we’re just going to smooth sail to the election. One piece of advice I’d give to my colleagues as I depart this place is connect with real people, connect outside of this House.

What is the biggest challenge facing Māori?

In the first instance, it’s unity, and you can see just how divided we are politically. I think at the end of it, all Māori want the progression of Māori interests, and the only failure is our lack to unite over those matters.

If there’s anything else beyond that, I think it’s the fact that we need to be clear that the world is changing and while we hold on to the past, we’ve got to prepare ourselves for the future better.

What is the worst thing about being a politician?

It’s the compromises you have to make, I talked about one particular matter where, you know Ihumātao was a big challenge and you get challenged about are you a traitor or are you a Māori or are you a politician, what are you? and it’s at times like that you think ... you know, of course I’m a Māori, but I’m a politician as well.

Those positions and that situation will come up multiple times. It’s how you deal with it and how you look after yourself afterwards, because some of them, they’re unavoidable.

Who is the most promising backbencher?

Oh, I think there are several, but I’m going to back Arena Williams. I think Arena is smart, wāhine Māori, she’s got huge appeal and I think she is a future star.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.