By elections aren’t that special in fact they come as a result of great sadness. Often its because a Member passes away in office and we gather in unity to say farewell. Tangihanga are a true example of Kotahitanga. Then, the Speaker does their thing and the scene is set for a date, in the not too distant future, for a by-election. We gather to select candidates, gear the electorate up to vote and get ready to make our pitches. The seat is Tamaki Makaurau this time, through the passing of Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Tamaki Makaurau means “Tamaki desired by many” and it was formed in 2002 from the Northern part of what was the Hauraki electorate. It was won by John Tamihere, for the Labour Party. Tamihere held it until 2005 when Pita Sharples took the seat for the Maori Party. Im 2014 Penni Henare won it back for Labour and held it until 2023 when Takutai Tarsh Kemp won.

In the 2023 General Election the win was one of the closest in the just over two decade history of the electorate. Kemp received 10,068 votes to Henares, 10,026. In other words 39.32% of the vote compared to 39.15% – razor thin. The party vote was much clearer; Labour received 11,571 compared to Te Pāti Māori with 8,046. In this case it was a majority of 42.79% compared to 29.75%. Even if you added all the Green votes to Te Pāti Māori – Labour still would have won the Party vote. (the Greens polled third in the race with their candidate Darlene Tana). In the 2020 election Henare beat John Tamihere with 10,256 votes. In that election Labour secured 16,066 votes compared to Te Pāti Māori with 3,401. In 2011 it was Shane Jones who ran for Labour against Pita Sharples. The Māori population of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) was 203,544 at the 2023 Census, representing 12.3% of the city’s total population. This figure is an increase from the 2018 Census, where 181,194 people identified as Māori, accounting for 11.5% of the population. Auckland City Council say 207,183 people in Tāmaki Makaurau identified as being of Māori descent. This is 24 per cent of all Māori in Aotearoa, or 13 per cent of the population of Tāmaki.

• 2023 Census: 203,544 people identified as Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau.
• 2018 Census: 181,194 people identified as Māori.
• Percentage of Population: The Māori population made up 12.3% of Auckland’s residents in 2023, up from 11.5% in 2018.
• Geographic Distribution: The Māori population is concentrated in the southern and western local board areas of Auckland.

According to elections.nz 43,755 voters are enrolled to vote in the seat. The largest age group is between 30-44 (14,760), 45-54 (11,010), 55-70+ (10,868),18-29 (10,506) – the largest combined age group on the roll is aged 30-44 years of age. Under 30s are not the largest voting population.

The Auckland Māori economy contributed an estimated 26% of the total national Māori economy’s value in 2020, with a total “value added” contribution to the national GDP of approximately $6 billion. Auckland Māori businesses are strong in various sectors, including real estate, technology, finance, healthcare, and social assistance.

The Māori unemployment rate in Auckland (often referred to as Tāmaki) was 9.2% for the year to March 2024, according to Infometrics. This rate represents a significant increase from 7.5% in the previous year.

Māori are significantly over-represented in homelessness in Auckland, making up a large proportion of the homeless population compared to their representation in the general population. For example, a 2018 survey showed Māori were 43% of those without shelter, while only making up 16% of Auckland’s population at that time. More recently, data from Housing First Auckland indicates that over 50% of their clients experiencing homelessness are Māori, and recent census data indicates a significant proportion of Māori living without a home in New Zealand were located in Auckland.

Maori health in Auckland, and Aotearoa New Zealand more broadly, continues to show significant inequities with higher rates of chronic disease, poorer mental health, and lower quality of life compared to non-Māori. These disparities are driven by underlying social determinants of health and systemic issues, though efforts are underway through Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora and initiatives like the He Kāmaka Waiora Māori Health Directory to improve access to culturally appropriate services and advance Māori wellbeing in Auckland.

The truth is  that Maori in the seat of Tamaki are diverse. In the main, those currently enrolled are not rangatahi – they are middle aged. While the greater portion of the overall Maori population may be younger – the fact is those enrolled to vote aren’t. In the main, they are mainly to the left of centre voters – a lesser number vote to the right of centre – another fact.

The demographic are a mix of renters and mortgage holders with a number who run small businesses. The population is concentrated in three core areas – South Auckland, West Auckland and Central Auckland. The Māori population is concentrated in Auckland’s southern and western local boards, particularly in areas like Manurewa, Papakura, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Henderson-Massey, and Waitākere Ranges, where they form a significant proportion of residents. While there’s a general distribution of Māori throughout the region, there are higher densities in the south and west, partly due to the presence of marae and historical settlement patterns.

• Southern Local Boards:

Manurewa (25.2%), Papakura (24.6%), and Ōtara-Papatoetoe (15.8%) show a high concentration of the Māori population, according to 2023 census data.

• Western Local Boards:

Henderson-Massey (18.1%), Waitākere Ranges (13.8%), and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu (16.9%) also have large proportions of Māori residents.

• Central and Outer Areas

While concentrations are highest in the south and west, pockets of Māori population exist in other areas as well, often influenced by the location of marae.

• Ōrākei:  The location of a prominent marae in Ōrākei contributes to a notable Māori presence in this central-eastern area.

• Rodney and Aotea/Great Barrier: These areas in the outer reaches of the Auckland region have experienced the largest percentage increases in their Māori populations between 2013 and 2023, though their overall numbers are smaller than the southern and western hubs.

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