Long-time advocate for Māori social and political advancement Merepeka Raukawa-Tait says election campaigns provide an important opportunity to look beyond political slogans and examine what competing policies will actually mean for Māori.
Raukawa-Tait has spent decades contributing to public debate and challenging governments across the political spectrum on issues including Māori development, whānau wellbeing, social services and political accountability.
Her perspective comes as Election 2026 increasingly focuses on issues with significant implications for Māori, including the future of the Waitangi Tribunal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori representation, health, housing and the cost of living. Recent polling of Māori voters found the cost of living was the most commonly identified major issue, followed by Māori-Crown relations.
The campaign has also exposed markedly different positions on the future of the Waitangi Tribunal and the constitutional relationship between Māori and the Crown, giving voters competing proposals to consider ahead of polling day.
Raukawa-Tait joins Radio Waatea to discuss how Māori issues are being framed during the campaign, whether the political debate is addressing the priorities of whānau, and what Māori voters should be listening for as parties compete for their support.
#MerepekaRaukawaTait #Election2026 #MāoriPolitics #MāoriVote #TeAoMāori #TeTiritiOWaitangi #WaitangiTribunal #MāoriCrownRelations #Whānau #MāoriDevelopment #CostOfLiving #PoliticsNZ #Aotearoa #WaateaNews #RadioWaatea
