Latest news with #Henare
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Silly games': Peeni Henare on passport design changes
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Peeni Henare says government playing 'silly games'
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Tāmaki Makaurau byelection: Labour's Peeni Henare hits back at Te Pāti Māori claim of ‘greedy' byelection contest
Kemp narrowly beat Henare in the 2023 general election, a result that Labour requested be recounted, which led to Kemp's lead growing slightly to 42 votes. Shortly after Te Pāti Māori last week announced former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara as its candidate aiming to succeed Kemp, Kiri Tamihere-Waititi – party media liaison, wife to co-leader Rawiri Waititi and daughter to Tamihere – wrote on social media how a vote for Henare was a 'wasted' vote and claimed it was 'greedy' of Labour to run an existing MP in the byelection. Kiri Tamihere-Waititi published her views on social media. Photo / Andrew Warner She encouraged voters to support Kaipara as it would mean two Tāmaki Makaurau-based Māori MPs were in Parliament. Tamihere-Waititi's strategy proved an effective one for Te Pāti Māori in 2023 when Labour secured the largest party vote share in the Māori seats while Te Pāti Māori candidates won six of the seven electorate contests. Henare, speaking from Parliament this morning, dismissed any claim Labour was being greedy. 'Every green seat in the House of Parliament is a contested seat, anybody who thinks a seat is going to be given to somebody is absolute folly,' he said. 'In the last election, I got over 10,000 votes. I owe it to them too to make sure that they're represented, and that's why I put my hand up.' He noted Labour's Georgie Dansey, a wahine Māori, would enter Parliament if he won the byelection. 'Any suggestion that I'm curbing a Māori voice in Parliament is absolute folly and those kinds of reckons don't help what should be a good contest between two good candidates.' Speaking to the Herald last week, Tamihere said Henare could risk leadership aspirations if he was unsuccessful. Henare, who held Tāmaki Makaurau for three terms from 2014, described Tamihere's jab as a 'bit rich' and referenced the former MP's failed attempts to win the seat in 2005 and 2020, as well as an unsuccessful Auckland mayoralty bid. Labour MP Peeni Henare speaking before select committee. Photo / Mark Mitchell Henare clarified he had 'huge respect' for Kaipara, despite alleged efforts from Tamihere to 'drag me into the trenches for an all-out, toe-to-toe fist fight'. Stating he would run a respectful campaign, Henare said he would be encouraging 'out-of-the-box thinking' to gain support as well as a stronger social media presence, which he admitted Labour could improve in the face of a formidable and established Te Pāti Māori online operation. Henare and Kaipara were the primary contenders. Vision New Zealand leader Hannah Tamaki would also contest the seat. National, Act and New Zealand First were not entering candidates. Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who has run for the seat three times, confirmed last week her party would not contest the byelection as it was not a 'responsible use of our resources at this time'. Tamihere had argued it would boost his party's support base but Labour's Māori caucus chair Willie Jackson believed support would go both ways. 'This is very much a 50-50 election. We're not over-confident at all, we respect Te Pāti Māori and the young movement out there, but we've got a long history with Labour.' He claimed no backroom deals had been reached between Labour and the Greens about the latter not standing a candidate. Jackson repeated Henare's assertion Labour would run a clean campaign, but also said he was up for a fight. 'If they want to have a fight, Te Pāti Māori, well, I'm up for it, there's no problems with that, but that's not how we're going to run this campaign, this is a respectful campaign.' Labour MP Willie Jackson wants a clean campaign but won't back down from a fight. Photo / Mark Mitchell Labour leader Chris Hipkins today confirmed Henare would not be given leave from his Parliament duties to spend more time campaigning in Auckland. '[Henare] still has his job, he still needs to fulfil his responsibilities as a Member of Parliament.' Hipkins maintained Labour would have a 'very, very active ground game' and believed Henare's experience in Parliament would benefit him in the byelection. Luxon yesterday repeated his criticism of Hipkins for not further challenging the 2023 Tāmaki Makaurau result, indicating he would have pursued an election petition, which goes beyond a recount. Hipkins today said Labour had been advised a petition was likely to have been unsuccessful, given Kemp's share of the vote increased after the recount. Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald's Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
1News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- 1News
Labour confirms Peeni Henare to face Oriini Kaipara in by-election
Labour has confirmed MP Peeni Henare will contest the by-election for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat, competing against Te Pāti Māori's Oriini Kaipara. Henare held the seat between 2014 and the most recent general election, when he narrowly lost to the late Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who stood for Te Pāti Māori. The list MP said his focus would be on fighting for "real solutions". "Everywhere I go, communities are saying loud and clear, that jobs, access to quality and affordable health services, affordable housing and relief from the rising cost of living must be a top priority," Henare said in a statement. "Tāmaki Makaurau is where I was born and is my home. I know the challenges that many whānau are facing. The cost of living is putting significant pressure on whānau just to put kai on the table. My focus is clear. To fight for real solutions so our people can flourish. ADVERTISEMENT "This means better paying jobs, making sure that when whānau are sick, they don't need to choose between kai and seeing the doctor and it means getting more whānau into warm, dry and safe homes." Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Henare had a "deep understanding of the issues that matter" and the "track record to deliver real solutions". "He has the experience and track record to deliver real solutions for working families, rangatahi, kaumātua and our most vulnerable whānau." Labour-TPM race shapes up National, the Greens, ACT and New Zealand First have ruled out standing a candidate in the by-election — on a date yet to be decided. Candidacy ceremonially affirms with korowai bestowed by the late Takutai Tash Kemp's son. (Source: 1News) That meant the majority of voters would likely choose between Labour and Te Pāti Māori, although Vision NZ leader Hannah Tamaki has also announce she would stand. ADVERTISEMENT Kaipara, a former news presenter and journalist, was announced as the candidate for Te Pāti Māori earlier this week. 'Māori are being attacked left, right and centre for purely existing. It's vile and it's not good enough,' Kaipara said in a statement after she was officially selected. 'My role now is to move from covering the story to changing it. "To every whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau, I am standing because our seat deserves to remain strong, grounded in te ao Māori, and guided by the voices of our people, united, determined, and unapologetically Māori." If a Te Pāti Māori candidate won the byelection, the party would keep its total at six MPs. But if Henare — already a list MP — won the seat for Labour, then he would become an electorate MP and his party would be able to bring their next person on the list who was Georgie Dansey. Labour would go from 34 to 35 seats. If another party won the race, there would be no change to the overall number of MPs. ADVERTISEMENT In all scenarios, the total number of MPs remained at 123 due to an existing seat overhang.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Homelessness Told Through The Eyes Of A Wāhine Māori
, Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern A last resort turned into a social experiment then an art project, and is now a short documentary called HOME - where a well-travelled wāhine Māori proves that home is what you make of it. Teiti Nepia has lived many lives as a chef - including directly under Uluru in Outback Australia or in Brooklyn, Wellington - but she still struggled to find a forever home. Her entire immediate whānau moved across the ditch and Nepia tagged along, but after her mother's passing and 10 years in Ahitereiria, she felt the need to leave. When the wāhine born in the late 60s returned to where she first moved to in the 90s - Island Bay - she lived with a friend until she found a long-term place to stay. "After a few months of trying to look, I just couldn't find something I could afford," Nepia said. She had attended interviews for flats and house sharing, but the people who had advertised rooms were 30-years younger than Nepia. "Although I'd make a pretty cool flat auntie, I don't think they want to live with their auntie, it wasn't really appropriate." Viable flatting options were slim, so she looked into one-bedroom studio spaces, but the weekly rent prices were too high. "Even though I could have afforded $400 a week, it would have taken out at least 60 plus percent of my hard-earned wage, my income, and it didn't sit right with me." For the summer of 23/24, Nepia took her trailer-hitched e-bike to various locations between Princess Bay and Ōwhiro Bay in Pōneke and set up camp while documenting her journey with a young camera crew. From public spaces to beaches to people's gardens, Nepia would hunker down in each spot for a night or three beneath the stars. Reading the cosmos was something she had learnt while living in the Outback in her swag. And since her Mum passed away, she finds solace in looking at the stars. Although she was already 'good at camping,' her five-months outdoors was a form of art activism, peacefully resisting the 'high cost of living and unsustainable market rents.' According to the 2023 Census, an estimated 112,496 people - or 2.3 percent of the census - usually resident population were homeless/severe housing deprivation. Census data revealed there were more homeless women than men, with more than 57,000 women without a home. Meanwhile, a study by Ihi Research has also found that four out of five homeless women in Aotearoa were Māori, with some being as young as 15-years-old. "You can see with your own eyes, the situation." But Nepia's short documentary called HOME puts a different spin on homelessness. Instead, she shows people how to respect the land while being homeless, and how to do it without leaving a trace. Nepia said homelessness is not just about those sleeping on the streets in the CBD, but it is those who are freedom camping and the people living in their cars. "What happened to me was that I had this sort of 'activism' ignited in me, because I was so upset with the state of my country and more particularly, the state of my generation. "My generation was a generation where our parents were Māori, our parents were urbanised, and so my parents were encouraged to move away from where they had come from." Nepia's mum was from Ruatoria and her Dad was from Nūhaka. Both were native te reo Māori speakers, but when Nepia's parents moved away from the east coast, the language and connection to the whenua were lost, she said. Nepia is already planning her next documentary, and without spoiling it, she aims to follow the same kaupapa of camping freely outdoors, understanding other people's view on market rents and the cost of living while reconnecting with her parents' whenua - but she wants others to join her. "The premise is to come around aunty and help take Aunty T home." Since November, Nepia has been living in a social housing precinct developed by Kāinga Ora called Te Ō. "I feel so lucky to have got a forever home." HOME by Teiti Nepia will have its world premiere at the Doc Edge film festival, which begins next month. The film is automatically eligible for the Best New Zealand Short category. The winner of this category will receive an Oscar consideration for 2026.
