In a dramatic twist to one of the country’s most closely watched Māori electorate contests, former Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni has confirmed she will remain in the race for Tāmaki Makaurau and sit as an independent MP if elected, despite resigning from Labour following controversy over her attendance at a whānau event involving Mongrel Mob members.
The announcement comes just days after Leoni’s resignation from Labour and as advance voting begins for the November 7 general election.
Her decision creates an extraordinary electoral situation, with voters still able to select her name alongside the Labour Party logo on their ballot papers, even though she is no longer representing the party.
LEONI REFUSES TO WALK AWAY
Leoni says she initially believed resigning from Labour was the right decision because she did not want the controversy involving her and her whānau to overshadow the party’s wider election campaign.
However, following conversations with supporters, whānau and members of the Tāmaki Makaurau community, she has decided to continue contesting the electorate.
She says her commitment to improving outcomes for Māori whānau, tamariki and mokopuna remains unchanged.
Leoni has also reaffirmed her commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and says she would work constructively with others in Parliament who share her priorities.
Her decision means she will continue campaigning without Labour’s endorsement, with voters ultimately deciding whether she should represent the electorate.
GANG CONTROVERSY TRIGGERED LABOUR EXIT
The political fallout began after footage emerged showing Leoni attending a whānau fundraising event in Papakura on October 3, where Mongrel Mob members were present.
The footage showed her wearing Labour campaign clothing, with election hoardings visible, and encouraging people to participate in the election.
The controversy intensified following a Whakaata Māori electorate debate in which Te Pāti Māori MP Oriini Kaipara challenged Leoni over her attendance at an event involving gang members.
Leoni denied visiting the gang pad referred to during the debate, but subsequently acknowledged attending a separate whānau function where some people present were gang members.
She maintains that she did not visit the gang pad described by Kaipara.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins subsequently made clear that campaigning alongside gangs was unacceptable under the standards expected of Labour candidates.
Leoni resigned from the party, although she has continued to defend the distinction between maintaining relationships with whānau and endorsing gang activity.
The controversy has also reignited debate about the complex relationships between Māori political representatives, whānau connections and people associated with gangs.
AN UNUSUAL BALLOT PAPER SITUATION
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that Leoni’s name will remain on the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate ballot paper alongside the Labour Party logo.
Under electoral law, candidates cannot withdraw after nominations have closed, and political parties cannot replace them at that stage.
Leoni also remains listed on Labour’s party list for the election.
Importantly, electorate votes cast for Leoni will still be counted.
However, her presence beside Labour’s logo does not mean she remains the party’s endorsed candidate.
If she wins the electorate, Leoni says she intends to serve as an independent MP rather than return to Labour.
The unusual circumstances could create confusion for some voters, particularly those who may not be aware of her resignation.
It also raises questions about the parliamentary implications of her election, including the application of party affiliation and electoral legislation.
Those legal questions have not been conclusively resolved.
TĀMAKI MAKAURAU RACE ON A KNIFE EDGE
Before the controversy erupted, polling suggested the electorate was heading towards an extremely close contest.
A Whakaata Māori–Curia poll released last week placed incumbent Te Pāti Māori MP Oriini Kaipara on 33 percent support, compared with Leoni on 31 percent.
Green Party candidate Florence Te Ohaere was polling at 21 percent.
Another nine percent of respondents were undecided, while six percent preferred another candidate.
The two-percentage-point gap between Kaipara and Leoni was within the poll’s margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
Among decided voters, Kaipara held 36 percent support, Leoni 34 percent and Te Ohaere 23 percent.
The survey was conducted before the latest controversy and Leoni’s departure from Labour, meaning it does not establish how voters will respond to her decision to stand independently.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR LABOUR AND TE PĀTI MĀORI?
Leoni’s departure creates a significant challenge for Labour in an electorate where the party had been hoping to regain ground.
Tāmaki Makaurau was previously represented by Labour’s Peeni Henare before Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara won the September 2025 by-election.
Kaipara secured the seat with a majority of 3,519 votes.
For Te Pāti Māori, the controversy presents an opportunity to consolidate support behind Kaipara, although Leoni’s decision to remain in the contest means the electoral outcome remains uncertain.
The Greens’ Florence Te Ohaere is also a significant contender, having attracted more than one-fifth of respondents in the recent poll.
The result could depend on whether Leoni retains her previous supporters, whether some Labour voters shift to other candidates and how undecided voters respond during the final stages of the campaign.
MĀORI VOTERS WILL MAKE THE FINAL CALL
Beyond the political controversy, the electorate faces significant social and economic challenges.
The recent Whakaata Māori–Curia poll identified the cost of living as the leading concern for Tāmaki Makaurau voters, followed by housing, healthcare and employment.
These issues remain central to the contest regardless of the candidates’ political affiliations.
Leoni says her decision to continue campaigning reflects her determination to stand by the kaupapa that originally motivated her involvement in politics.
She acknowledges that people will hold different views about the circumstances surrounding her resignation and says she will respect whatever decision voters make.
For the electorate, the situation presents an unusual choice: a former Labour candidate still appearing under Labour’s name on the ballot, but promising to enter Parliament as an independent.
ELECTION 2026: ALL EYES ON TĀMAKI MAKAURAU
With advance voting beginning today, the contest for Tāmaki Makaurau has become one of the most unpredictable battles of the election.
Kaipara is defending the seat for Te Pāti Māori, Te Ohaere is seeking a breakthrough for the Greens, and Leoni is now attempting to win without the formal backing of the party she represented only days ago.
The controversy has placed questions of political accountability, whānau relationships and candidate conduct alongside the everyday concerns of Māori voters.
For Kerrin Leoni, the political calculation is now straightforward: she has lost Labour’s endorsement, but she is asking the people of Tāmaki Makaurau to give her a mandate of her own.
On November 7, voters will decide whether her independent campaign represents a fresh start or whether the controversy has fundamentally changed the race.
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