Tamihere: Tāmaki Makaurau By-Election a Litmus Test for Māori Voters

Atereano Mateariki John Tamihere | Tamihere: Māori Facing Rising Unemployment and Housing Insecurity

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Te Pāti Māori President John Tamihere says the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election will be a litmus test for Māori voters ahead of the 2026 general election.

A debate between Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara and Labour’s Peeni Henare is set for Wednesday at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in Māngere.

Tamihere says the result will reflect support—or lack of it—for the current coalition government.

“There’s only one party that has any chance of putting Labour in power in 2026, it’ll be us and the Greens. The last thing you want is another third party in there called New Zealand First,” says Tamihere.

Advance voting opens Monday, 25 August, with election day set for Saturday, 6 September

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