Labour has unveiled its parliamentary hopefuls list ahead of October’s general election, with almost half of the top 10 candidates Māori.
As expected, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins takes top spot at No. 1, followed by party deputy leader Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis (Ngapuhi) in the second position, and deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni is at 3.
Education Minister Jan Tinetti is at 6, trailing Finance Minister Grant Robertson and campaign manager and Housing Minister Megan Woods.
Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou) is at eight and Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) at nine (moved up because of Justice Minister Kiritapu Allan’s sudden departure last week) as Trade Minister Damien O’Connor wraps up the top 10.
Six of the top 20 candidates are Māori, with Speaker Adrian Rurawhe (Ngāti Apa) at 11. Forestry Minister Peeni Henare (Ngāti Hine, Ngāphui) takes 14 and Customs Minister Jo Luxton (Tainui Waikato) wraps up Māori at No.19.
Hauraki-Waikato MP and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Manu) is not on the party list. Neither is Te Tai Hauauru candidate Soraya Peke-Mason (Te Awa Tupua o Whanganui,) nor new Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate Cushla Tangaere-Manuel (Ngati Porou).
Coffey changes his mind
They are running electorate-only campaigns, effectively giving voters in their electorates the ultimatum: Return me to the seat or I’m out of Parliament altogether.
The top 10 has twice as many Māori as when Labour went to the polls in 2020. At that time only Davis and Mahuta were in the top 10.
Courts Minister Rino Tirikatene (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine) sits at 21 in today’s list as the MP for Te Tai Tonga.
Shanan Halbert, the MP for Northcote (Rongowhakaata and Ngāti Whitikaupeka) is at 28.
Interestingly, Tāmati Coffey (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa) who is contesting the east coast in the place of Kiritapu Allan, sits at 36.
On Coffey cancelling his resignation to run in East Coast, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Coffey was now “running on all cylinders” and recommitted to being in Parliament after speaking to his whānau.
MPs holding safe electorates for Labour were further down the list. This includes Manurewa MP Arena Williams (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tūhoe) 57.
Other Māori on the list are Toni Boynton (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tamakaimoana, Te Arawa, Ngāti Kahu and Te Rarawa) 58, Parewhati Taikato (Tauranga Moana) 63, Nerissa Henry (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Takoto, and Ngāti Awa and Cook Islands Māori 70, and Jamie Toko (Tainui) at 82.
Labour list for the coming election:
1. Chris Hipkins
2. Kelvin Davis
3. Carmel Sepuloni
4. Grant Robertson
5. Megan Woods
6. Jan Tinetti
7. Ayesha Verrall
8. Willie Jackson
9. Willow-Jean Prime
10. Damien O’Connor
11. Adrian Rurawhe
12. Andrew Little
13. David Parker
14. Peeni Henare
15. Priyanca Radhakrishnan
16. Kieran McAnulty
17. Ginny Andersen
18. Barbara Edmonds
19. Jo Luxton
20. Duncan Webb
21. Rino Tirikatene
22. Deborah Russell
23. Rachel Brooking
24. Jenny Salesa
25. Tangi Utikere
26. Camilla Belich
27. Tracey McLellan
28. Shanan Halbert
29. Glen Bennett
30. Vanushi Walters
31. Georgie Dansey
32. Dan Rosewarne
33. Naisi Chen
34. Anahila Kanongata’a
35. Angela Roberts
36. Tāmati Coffey
37. Ibrahim Omer
38. Neru Leavasa
39. Toni Boynton
40. Anna Lorck
41. George Hampton
42. Rachel Boyack
43. Angie Warren-Clark
44. Liz Craig
45. Michael Wood
46. Terisa Ngobi
47. Helen White
48. Arena Williams
49. Phil Twyford
50. Steph Lewis
51. Sarah Pallett
52. Ingrid Leary
53. Lemauga Lydia Sosene
54. Parewhati Taikato
55. Estefania Muller-Pallarès
56. Fleur Fitzsimons
57. Reuben Davidson
58. Nick Ruane
59. Fesaitu Solomone
60. Mark Hutchinson
