March 06, 2020
Tamihere set for Tamaki Makaurau run
Former Tāmaki Makaurau MP John Tamihere wants his seat back.
The Waipareira chief executive will ask the Māori Party to confirm him as its candidate for the Auckland electorate now held by Labour's Peeni Henare.
The pair have clashed over Mr Henare's management of the Whānau Ora portfolio and his decision to explore other methods of reaching providers rather than channelling all the funding and decision-making through the commissioning agency controlled by Mr Tamihere.
Last election Mr Henare beat Māori Party candidate Shane Taurima by 3809 votes, but Mr Tamihere has lifted his profile with his unsuccessful run last year for the Auckland mayoralty.
He was first elected to parliament in the Hauraki seat in 1989, and held Tāmaki Makaurau from 1992 to 1995 when the Māori Party's Pita Sharples beat him by 2000 votes.
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