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The former Speaker of the House and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru Adrian Rurawhe has died.
A statement from his family noted “with deep sadness” he passed after a “recent illness.”
“The whanau are slowly coming to terms with such a great loss. Not only to our whanau, but to his church Te Haahi Ratana, his Iwi of Ngāti Apa and Whanganui, and his former colleagues in the House of Representatives where he served as a Member of Parliament from 2014 to January 2026.”
Adrian Rurawhe was first elected to Parliament in 2014 as the Labour MP for Te Tai Hauāuru and went on to serve four consecutive terms.
Over the course of his parliamentary career, he held several senior roles including Speaker of the House of Representatives from August 2022 to December 2023.
Family pays tribute to Adrian Paki Rurawhe
Rurawhe announced early this year he would retire from politics on Waitangi Day.
He said he’d spent the summer thinking about whānau and church, and retiring would allow him to be more involved.
Rurawhe was the grandson of two former MPs, Matiu and Iriaka Rātana, and the great-grandson of TW Rātana, the founder of the Rātana church.
Whānau member Piriwiritua Rurawhe told Morning Report Rurawhe had left politics this year to take time for himself.
“We knew he had some ailments but Adrian was a very private man even to his closest, and kept things close to his chest.”
Adrian Rurawhe as Speaker of House in 2023. (File photo)
Louis Collins
The decision was primarily made to take a break from the public arena and spend time with his whānau, he said.
“There was nothing more important to Adrian than his siblings, nephews and nieces and mokopuna.”
Piriwiritua Rurawhe said Rurawhe was a very courteous and very kind man who he said would be remembered both for his kindness and his considered approach to everything he did.
Politicians react
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she considered herself luch to have known and worked with Rurawhe.
“He was a man of quiet resolve, with a fierce moral compass, and deep kindness,” Arden posted on social media.
“He brought all of those skills to parliament, and to the role of Speaker.
“But he was so much more than that. He was a loved firend and whanau member and will be deeply missed.’
Labour leader Chris Hipkins called Rurawhe “one of the finest people ever to sit in the New Zealand Parliament.”
“He carried the mana of his people and of the Speaker’s Chair with dignity and respect. He was firm without ever needing to raise his voice, and he was universally respected across every party in the House,” he said in a statement.
“Members of every party sought his counsel because they knew it would be honest, considered, and given in confidence.
Rurawhe’s first day as speaker. (File photo)
VNP / Phil Smith
“Aotearoa is poorer for his passing, and Parliament will miss him deeply,” Hipkins said.
Green Party co-leader and former colleague Chlöe Swarbrick told Morning Report on Wednesday Rurawhe was a “beautiful, beautiful man” who brought calm to the House of Parliament – a place that wasn’t often calm.
Swarbrick said he had a kindness and a “generosity of spirit” – however he was also robust with a “spine of steel” behind the scenes.
“That’s a huge loss to our country,” she said.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson issued a statement on behalf of her caucus.
“Kua hinga tētehi tōtara nui o te wao nui, ko Adrian. Auē te mamae, auē te aroha.
“He mana nui, he mana aroha. Kaua rawa e warewaretia e tātou.
“E tangi hotuhotu ana mātou ko Te Pāti Kākāriki, he tangi aroha. Ka aroha hoki ki tōna whānau, me te whānau whānui o Rātana Pā.
“Hoki atu ki ō nui, ō rahi e te tōtara. Hoki Māori atu.
“A great tōtara has passed on, our colleague Adrian.
“Adrian always stood in his own power, a calm and loving power. The kind of power that will never be forgotten.
“The Green Party sends our love to Adrian’s whānau, and the extended whānau of Rātana Pā.”
MP Adrian Rurawhe gives his valedictory speech to MPs in Parliament in January 2026.
VNP / Phil Smith
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Rurawhe was an MP who carried real mana and was respected on all sides of the House.
“As Speaker he was fair and calm, as a Member of Parliament he was steadfast and committed to his people, and as a man he was warm and humble.
“He will be missed and he will be remembered. Rest in Peace.
“My thoughts are with his family as they mourn his loss, and also celebrate his life and contribution to New Zealand and his community,” Luxon said.
On the campaign trail on Wednesday Luxon paid further tribute calling him an “incredible man”.
“He was always very fair and calm. But the most important thing was he was incredibly humble as an individual.”
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi issued a statement where they described Rurawhe as “a son of Rātana, a uri of Ngāti Apa, a mokopuna of some of our greatest leaders, and a servant of the people who carried himself with humility, grace and mana throughout his life of service.”
Waititi said even those who opposed each other politically respected the way he held the role of Speaker.
“There will never be another Speaker like Adrian.”
His death was deeply personal for Te Pāti Māori, their statement said, noting that his political journey began with the party, and his connection to Rātana and Te Tai Hauāuru electorate remained strong.
“Above all else, I will remember Adrian for his humility, his deep love and commitment to the whakapono of Rātana, and his unwavering devotion and service, his whānau always surrounded him in his calling,” Ngarewa-Packer said.
“As mōrehu, this loss is a deeply personal one. Adrian was a proud uri of Ngāti Apa, a proud mōrehu, and a man who never forgot where he came from.
“He carried himself with grace, quiet strength and mana. Whether at Rātana Pā, among his whānau, or in Parliament, Adrian was always grounded in service to others and in his love for his people.”
They offered their thoughts and prayers to Rurawhe’s whānau, the people of Rātana Pā, Ngāti Apa, and all those mourning his loss.
In a statement, NZ First leader Winston Peters said Rurawhe was a respected colleague and friend to MPs from both sides of Parliament who had the pleasure to know him.
He was a “much-loved” member of the Rātana faith and a “softly spoken but staunch advocate for his people”.
“Rurawhe had great mana and wisdom and was known for his calm and kind approach to politics.
“His passing is a great loss for Māoridom and all of New Zealand. He will be sorely missed.”
Parliament flags at half mast
Parliament flags would be flown at half mast following Rurawhe’s death.
Speaker of the House, Gerry Brownlee said he was deeply saddened by Rurawhe’s death.
“He was a fine gentleman who brought a calm manner to the Speaker’s chair and a dignity to Parliament.
“The flags at Parliament will be flown at half-mast in the following days as a mark of respect for a man whose time in politics emphasised the need for people to be respectful to one another.
“He will be deeply missed.”
Brownlee said he will join a “whole of Parliament delegation” paying respect to Rurawhe at Whangaehu Marae in Whanganui on Friday.
Rurawhe said he was originally offered the Assistant Speaker role in 2017, but opted for the Junior Whip position instead as he “wasn’t too keen”.
He then took up the role a few days later after Hipkins, then Leader of the House, rang him to say Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was asking him to reconsider.
“I’m thinking, pull that Jacinda card eh?”
Three years later, Ardern asked him to be Deputy Speaker, which after admitting his initial disappointment he did not have a ministerial role, was assured there was a pathway to that or to become Speaker.
“I pinch myself almost every day, wonder how this guy from Rātana Pā gets to be the Speaker of this House.”
The statement from his family said Rurawhe would lie in state at Whangaehu Marae until his burial at Ngā Puketuurua Ratana Pa.