Whoever wins on Saturday in the Tāmaki Makaurau By-election will speak volumes to the 2026 election.
If the Māori Party wins, it will be a political earthquake that suggests social media first campaign tactics can reset the political engagement culture of politics in a profound way.
It will say that the voters of Tāmaki Makaurau expect Labour to work with the Māori Party, not as a junior but as an equal. The Political Right will have a field day with that result.
If the Labour Party wins, it will be the momentum they need for 2026 and it will prove that the much maligned Labour Party ‘machine’ is back and beyond functional.
A Labour Party win will say that the voters of Tāmaki Makaurau expect the Māori Party to work with Labour, not the other way around.
If Hannah Tamaki gets close to winning because of the very low turn out, that in of itself will speak volumes.
Democracy is a fragile thing, if a large cross section of the electorate don’t vote, those rights can be undermined by what the result ends up saying.
Oriini and Peeni have run spectacular campaigns that have showcased the very best of Māoridom in terms of debate.
The people must be the deciders.
Vote today.
