Oriini Kaipara Wins Māori By-Election

Oriini Kaipara of Te Pāti Māori has won the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, defeating Labour’s Peeni Henare by a wide margin. The final vote count showed Kaipara with 6,031 votes, almost double Henare’s 3,093. Vision NZ’s Hannah Tamaki came in a distant third with 146 votes.

The by-election was held to replace the late MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who passed away in June. Kaipara celebrated her win on Saturday night with cheers, music, and a large crowd of Te Pāti Māori supporters in Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland. She honored Kemp’s memory and thanked supporters for their belief and hard work.

Kaipara also showed respect to her opponent Peeni Henare, calling him a strong leader and promising to work alongside him in Parliament. She said she was grateful and ready for the challenges ahead. In her speech, she gave special thanks to women who saw themselves and their families reflected in her campaign.

Henare, speaking to his supporters at Te Mahurehure Marae, thanked his team and called the campaign inclusive and positive. Though disappointed by the result, he said he was more determined than ever to challenge what he called a “terrible government” in the next general election.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is investigating possible breaches of election rules. These include a social media post from MP Tākuta Ferris and some election materials left up on voting day.

The Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate covers a wide area of Auckland and includes both wealthy suburbs and many people on jobseeker benefits. Five candidates ran in the by-election.