Oriini Kaipara celebrates her Tāmaki Makaurau by-election victory.
Photo: RNZ/Liliian Hanly
Labour’s Peeni Henare has conceded the race for the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori seat by-election to Te Pāti Māori rival Oriini Kaipara.
Henare announced his concession on Saturday night as the vote to choose a local member of Parliament for the electorate hit 80 percent, with his main opponent tallying almost twice as many.
With all the votes counted, Kaipara had 6031, compared to Henare’s 3093. Hannah Tamaki of Vision NZ was a distant third on 146.
Cheers and applause greeted Kaipara, as she arrived at the party’s election night function in Te Atatu Peninsula.
Oriini Kaipara celebrates her by-election victory with Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, on Saturday night.
Photo: RNZ / Lillian Hanly
A crowd of Te Pāti Māori supporters gathered to watch the results roll in – along with the results from the All Blacks Springboks game at Eden Park.
Kaipara was welcomed with hugs and kisses, and a long embrace with the party co-leaders.
She began by singing a song, with the crowd joining in. She addressed the image of Takutai Tarsh Kemp that was on a screen in the venue, saying: “Takutai, mōu tēnei [Takutai, this is for you],” before addressing the supporters in the room – many of who had tears streaming down their faces.
“Thank you all, not just for being here, but for working hard, for your toil, your efforts, your support, but more than anything, your belief,” she said.
She also acknowledged the second placed candidate, Labour’s Peeni Henare, saying she has the utmost respect for him, she had been through a rapid “learning curve” during the campaign, and she was looking forward to “fighting a good fight alongside” Henare.
Oriini Kaipara follows incoming by-election results.
Photo: RNZ / Lillian Hanly
Kaipara said she was thrilled and also overwhelmed with gratitude.
She said she was ready to head to Parliament, acknowledging the past six weeks had only been a taste of what was coming.
She specifically addressed women, thanking those who had “seen yourselves in me, your children in me, your mokopuna in me.”
Henare addresses supporters
His voice hoarse, Henare addressed the supporters gathered at Te Mahurehure Marae, asking them to “remain positive.”
Henare said the No.1 opposition in this campaign was the “terrible government” and the party still had a chance to beat it, in 2026.
He said he was proud of all of his volunteers, and his team ran a clear and inclusive campaign, which he stood by.
“Some might slander and some might denigrate them, but I want to be very clear. In this waka, you are all welcome – all shapes, all sizes, all races, all creeds.”
“I said at the start of the campaign, it would take all of us.”
Henare said the party had done a fantastic job to run an “inclusive and positive campaign, and we stand by it tonight.”
He told them the defeat had inspired him and given him more motivation to do something about the government next year.
He also thanked his partner, saying it had been “one heck of a drive, one heck of a roll”.
“When you’re just tired and you’re done with life and you’ve worked all day, you’ve gone from four in the morning like we have to 10 at night, and you’ve said to yourself, I’m done. You’ve got somebody there to say, You know what, pick yourself up, because our people need you.”
Electoral Commission looking into possible breaches
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is investigating potential breaches of the Act on Saturday, including a social media post from Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris, and two billboards and a gazebo left standing by Te Pāti Māori.
Te Pāti Māori apologises over Tākuta Ferris’ social media post
Five candidates contested the seat, which was made vacant by the sudden death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp in June.
‘Indescribable loss’: MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp remembered at tangi at Opaea Marae
The Tāmaki Makaurau electorate stretches from the Waitākere Ranges to Bucklands Beach, and includes most of Auckland’s southern and eastern suburbs, as well as Waiheke Island.
Of the Māori electorates, it has the highest average annual household income – at nearly $130,000 – but also the highest number of people on the jobseeker benefit.