Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Senior Labour MP and former minister Peeni Henare won’t be contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau seat in the election this year.
Henare did not put his name forward to be the party’s candidate in the Māori seat, and the deadline for candidate nominations has now passed.
It’s unclear whether Henare intends to run as a list-only candidate, or bow out of politics all together.
Henare told RNZ “it takes a lot” to contest an election and everyone should ask themselves if they have the energy to do so.
He said the way things went in his last two attempts were in the back of his mind as he made the decision, “but I’m satisfied that nine years as the MP for Tāmaki Makaurau has been fulfilling”.
“I’m a firm believer of bringing in new talent, so that’s what we’ll be looking to do.”
He said he wouldn’t get ahead of himself when asked about running as a list-only candidate, but “Labour will go through its process pretty soon and that’ll be what it’ll be.”
He would not say who the Labour candidate might be for Tāmaki Makaurau, but mentioned a “young fella” who had shown some interest.
The news comes as the party finalises its candidate selections and in the wake of the resignation of another Senior Labour MP, Adrian Rurawhe, from politics.
Henare entered Parliament in 2014, winning the the Tāmaki Makaurau seat over the Māori party. He held onto the seat for nearly a decade, before being ousted by Te Pāti Māori’s Takutaki Tarsh Kemp in 2023 by a slim margin.
He contested the seat in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in 2025, following Kemp’s death, but lost to Oriini Kaipara who received around twice as many votes.
During the by-election he batted away suggestions of a Labour leadership bid, but didn’t rule it out.
At the time Henare said the current leader Chris Hipkins had his full support.
During the previous Labour government, he held portfolios such as Defence, Whānau Ora, Civil Defence, Tourism and ACC.
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