Former Speaker, Labour’s Adrian Rurawhe first MP to confirm retirement ahead of election

Former Speaker of the House and long-serving Labour politician Adrian Rurawhe is the first MP to announce their retirement ahead of this year’s general election.

Rurawhe, a four-term MP, said this morning that he informed his Labour colleagues last that he would not stand for re-election and will step down at the start of next month.

“Instead I will retire from Parliament and politics, effective from Waitangi Day 6 February 2026,″ he wrote in a social media post.

The news comes as MPs from the Labour and National parties head to their respective caucus retreats today.

Rurawhe said it has been an “honour and a privilege” to have represented the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate for nine years and be a presiding officer for six, including being elected as Speaker.

Adrian Rurawhe became the speaker following Trevor Mallard's resignation in 2022. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The 64-year-old, who was first elected in 2014, said retiring will allow him the time to be involved with the kaupapa, mostly whānau and church, which politics has not.

“Retiring now also means that I will be replaced by Georgie Dansey from Ngāti Tuwharetoa, and next on the Labour Party list.

“I wish her all the very best, I’m certain that she will be a hard-working MP and will do a great job.”

Rurawhe said the new candidate for his electorate would be announced soon and that he and his whānau would be supporting them.

In the post, he acknowledged his whānau “for their continued and loyal support”.

“I also want to acknowledge the New Zealand Labour Party for selecting me to contest the 2014 general election.

“No one in the NZ media believed that I would win the seat, but you all still backed me and supported me.”

Rurawhe became the 31st Speaker and just the second to be Māori, when he replaced Trevor Mallard following his resignation in August 2022.

He held the role until December 2023.

He has significant political and cultural lineage as the great-grandson of Rātana movement founder and prophet Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana.

His grandparents, Matiu and Iriaka Rātana, were former Western Māori MPs in the 1940s and the 1950s-60s respectively.