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Veteran Māori politician Hone Harawira is signalling a possible return to Parliament, confirming he is seeking selection as Te Pāti Māori’s candidate for Te Tai Tokerau — the electorate he represented for nearly a decade.
Harawira’s potential comeback adds another high-profile dimension to what is shaping as an increasingly competitive political contest across the Māori seats ahead of the next election.
The former MP and Mana Movement founder says the decision to re-enter frontline politics comes at a time when many whānau are struggling with rising living costs, housing pressures, inequality and concerns over the direction of government policy affecting Māori communities.
Harawira first entered Parliament with the Māori Party in 2005 before later establishing the Mana Movement. Known for his outspoken advocacy on Māori rights, poverty and tino rangatiratanga, he held Te Tai Tokerau until 2014.
Now, more than a decade later, he says the political environment has shifted significantly, with growing public debate around Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori representation and constitutional change.
Te Tai Tokerau remains one of the country’s most politically symbolic Māori electorates, covering communities throughout Northland and carrying a long history of influential Māori leadership.
Harawira says his experience both inside and outside Parliament gives him a strong understanding of the challenges facing the electorate and the realities confronting whānau across the region.
Among the key issues he identifies are housing shortages, unemployment, access to healthcare, poverty and the lack of infrastructure and investment in many northern communities.
He says Māori communities need stronger advocacy and practical solutions that focus on whānau wellbeing, economic opportunity and local empowerment.
Harawira also believes the broader Māori political movement has evolved, with Te Pāti Māori now playing a more prominent role in national debates around indigenous rights, constitutional reform and self-determination.
If selected as the party’s candidate, Harawira says he sees his role as helping strengthen the movement for tino rangatiratanga while supporting the next generation of Māori political leadership.
His possible return is likely to generate strong interest both within Te Tai Tokerau and nationally, given his long-standing profile and reputation as one of the country’s most recognisable Māori political figures.
Te Pāti Māori has yet to formally confirm its final candidate selection for the electorate.
