By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporting
Young environmental lawyer Tāwhiao McMaster has confirmed he is seeking the Labour Party nomination to contest the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate at November’s general election.
McMaster withdrew from the race for a Māori seat on Horizons Regional Council in September last year to focus on a parliamentary bid, signalling Labour’s early push to reclaim the seat.
Speaking at Rātana Pā yesterday, after bringing on paddlers from the annual Whanganui River Tira Hoe Waka, McMaster said his nomination is currently unchallenged, with nominations closing on February 1.
“Right now, there is no other nomination for Te Pāti Reipa. Mine is currently on its own, and I am hopeful to stand and represent Te Tai Hauāuru, against those who are also standing,” McMaster said.
He would push for three key things – te Tiriti, te kotahitanga and te maramatanga (the Treaty, unity and understanding).
“From those three things we’ll be able to take steps towards having a thriving people again.”
McMaster, 29, holds governance roles with iwi and land trusts across the Whanganui and Ruapehu districts.
After attending Te Aute College, he worked on farms and in meat works while studying at the University of Waikato. He later moved into Māori and corporate law firms, and then the public sector, working in environmental and Treaty law.
He was the first person admitted to the bar in a fully te reo Māori ceremony.
He returned to Whanganui about three years ago to raise his whānau and work for his people, and lives at Pūtiki Pā.
The Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate spans much of the western North Island, including Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatū.
The seat is held by Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who won decisively at the last election, securing 16,288 votes – more than 9000 ahead of nearest rival, Labour candidate Soraya Peke-Mason, who received 7126.
Despite Ngarewa-Packer’s strong electorate result, Labour narrowly led the party vote in Te Tai Hauāuru, winning 40.91 per cent compared with Te Pāti Māori’s 35.05 per cent.
At Rātana Pā yesterday, Ngarewa-Packer confirmed she will again contest Te Tai Hauāuru at this year’s election.
McMaster (Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi, Tainui, Ngā Paerangi, Ngā Poutamanui-a-Awa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Tūpoho, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Aokehu and Ngāti Uenuku) said the Labour Party best aligns with his goals to ensure a strong voice for his people.
“Right now we are in a time of being picked on by this current government, its coalition. We, as Māori, are suffering for it.”
The coalition government had disestablished initiatives like the Māori Health Authority before they had the chance to show that they would work, and was undermining Māori education and housing, he said.
“We need a new government. We need more Māori, new Māori in Te Whare Paremata, who can push for what it is that we need here in Te Tai Hauāuru.
“I’m ready. My teams are on standby for 1 February. We’re going to flood Te Ao Māori, we’re going to flood Te Ao Pākehā, we’re going to flood Aotearoa with what it is that we’re going to do.
“We’re going to start leading.”
McMaster said he would draw on non-Māori support – “our tangata tiriti” – and would mobilise the Māori vote.
“I’m targeting everyone’s votes, but those who will likely show in numbers will be rangatahi.
“We will whakakotahi ourselves for the best outcomes – which is making sure that we can get the jobs that we need here; that we have not only housing but we have good housing, affordable housing; and that we push for good health outcomes and better living conditions.”
McMaster said his teams were preparing to target 25 October, the last day to enrol to vote in the election.
“We are encouraging and mobilising ourselves … to ensure that those who are eligible to vote are registered to vote, and then participate in the actual voting itself.
“It’s a risk in that we might be exhausting ourselves as a people, but this is one of those years we have to draw on all the energy.”
The last day for Māori who are already enrolled to change roll types is 6 August.
Awa FM – Te Reo Irirangi o Whanganui
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