July 10, 2023
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait strong add to party line-up
Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi says he’s looking forward to campaigning alongside Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, who’s contesting the Rotorua seat.
The Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency chair is a former chief executive of New Zealand Women’s Refuge and a Rotorua Lakes councillor for 11 years.
She was also crowned Miss Te Arawa 2022 in last year’s Rotorua Beauty Pageant.
Mr Waititi says she has been a consistent advocate for the downtrodden, women who have been abuses, children in state care, and the homeless.
“These are the issues Merepeka understands intimately and has fought for and advocated for on behalf of our people. We’re elated she has decided to put her hand up here in Rotorua. On current polling, Merepeka could quite possibly be going to parliament,” he says.
Mr Waititi says 24 percent of voters on the general roll in Rotorua are Māori, and with the backing Mrs Raukawa-Tait has always enjoyed from non-Māori, incumbent Todd McLay should be worried for his 825 vote majority.