2025 Tāmaki Makaurau by-election

2025 Tāmaki Makaurau by-election
6 September 2025
Tāmaki Makaurau constituency of the House of Representatives
Incumbent MP

Takutai Tarsh Kemp†
Te Pāti Māori



A by-election will be held in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate on Saturday, 6 September 2025.[1] The by-election was triggered by the death of Takutai Tarsh Kemp, an MP for Te Pāti Māori.

Background

Constituency

The electorate covers central and southern Auckland.[2] At the 2023 election, Kemp defeated the incumbent Labour MP Peeni Henare with a margin of only 42 votes.[3]

Trigger

The by-election was triggered by the unexpected death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp; she died from kidney disease for which she had in the previous year taken a six week break from parliament. Barrister Gareme Edgeler told The Post that the date was expected to be announced within the next week.[3]

Once the Registrar of Birth and Deaths receives the registration of death for a sitting MP, they must inform the speaker of the House of Representatives within 12 hours.[4] The speaker must then publish, without delay, the notice of vacancy of the seat in the New Zealand Gazette.[5] The notice was published in the Gazette on 9 July 2025.[6]

The governor-general must issue the writ for a by-election to fill a vacant electorate seat within 21 days of the Gazette notice (i.e. 30 July 2025).[5] The writ must be returned with the successful candidate within 60 days of its issue,[7] which means the writ must be returned by 28 September 2025. As polling day must be a Saturday,[7] and two weeks are generally required for the counting of special votes, the last possible polling day is therefore Saturday, 13 September 2025.

Candidates

Labour

Previous Tāmaki Makaurau MP, Peeni Henare, told reporters he had not yet thought about whether he would stand in the by-election, saying "that's not where my mind is".[3] On 13 July, Labour confirmed Henare as their candidate to contest the by-election.[8]

Te Pāti Māori

Party members of Te Pāti Māori voted for their candidate,[9] with the selection taking place on 10 July and the successful candidate formally announced the next day.[10]

In early July, former journalist Oriini Kaipara announced her intention to seek the nomination to be Te Pāti Māori's candidate for the by-election.[11] Youth worker Te Kou o Rehua Panapa also declared intention to seek the Te Pāti Māori nomination while Eru Kapa-Kingi, a list candidate in 2023, ruled himself out.[12] Kaipara was confirmed as the nominee on 10 July.[13]

Vision NZ

Vision NZ leader Hannah Tamaki will contest the seat again, having received 829 votes in 2023.[14]

Others

National, ACT, New Zealand First and the Greens all announced they would not run candidates in the by-election.[15][14]

List

Party Candidate Background
Labour Peeni Henare Current list MP and former MP for Tāmaki Makaurau
Te Pāti Māori Oriini Kaipara Broadcaster
Vision NZ Hannah Tamaki

References

  1. ^ Natanahira, Tuwhenuaroa (14 July 2025). "Tāmaki Makaurau by-election to be held in September". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  2. ^ Council, Auckland. "Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland's heritage". Auckland Council. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Sowman-Lund, Stewart (26 June 2025). "Tāmaki Makaurau by-election: What happens next?". The Post.
  4. ^ "Section 58: Registrar of Births and Deaths to notify Speaker of death of member – Electoral Act 1993 No 87 (as of 1 July 2012) – New Zealand Legislation". Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Section 129: By-elections for members representing electoral districts – Electoral Act 1993 No 87 (as of 1 July 2012) – New Zealand Legislation". Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Notice of vacancy in seat in House of Representatives". New Zealand Gazette. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b {"Section 139: Contents of writ – Electoral Act 1993 No 87 (as of 1 July 2012) – New Zealand Legislation". Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  8. ^ Manch, Thomas (13 July 2025). "Labour confirms Peeni Henare to contest Tāmaki Makaurau by-election". Stuff. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Journalist Oriini Kaipara seeking Te Pāti Māori candidacy for Tāmaki Makaurau seat". Newstalk ZB. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  10. ^ Te Pāti Māori (9 July 2025). "Tāmaki Electorate Candidate Selection Update" (Press release). Scoop. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  11. ^ Hanly, Lillian (7 July 2025). "Former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara puts name forward for Te Pāti Māori's Tāmaki Makaurau candidate". RNZ. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  12. ^ Natanahira, Tuwhenuaroa (10 July 2025). "Te Pāti Māori meeting tonight to decide candidate for upcoming Tāmaki Makarau by-election". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Oriini Kaipara will represent Te Pāti Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau by-election". Stuff. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  14. ^ a b Pearse, Adam (11 July 2025). "Tāmaki Makaurau byelection: Labour set to choose candidate, Peeni Henare emerging as favourite". New Zealand Herald.
  15. ^ Milne, Jonathan (11 July 2025). "Tāmaki Makaurau by-election throws up curious quirk of MMP". Newsroom. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
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