Mariameno Kapa-Kingi
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi (born 1960 or 1961) is a New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand parliament at the 2023 general election as the MP for Te Tai Tokerau representing Te Pāti Māori. After several decades in iwi social and health services, she first stood for parliament in the 2020 general election. Her electoral success in 2023 led to the retirement of her predecessor, Kelvin Davis, who had been Labour Party deputy leader since 2017.
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau | |
| Assumed office 14 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Kelvin Davis |
| Majority | 517 (1.86%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 or 1961 (age 62–63)[1] |
| Political party | Māori |
| Children | 4 |
Early life
editKapa-Kingi is of the Te Aupōuri and Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa iwi. She was born and grew up in Te Tai Tokerau.[2] She worked in iwi health and social services for more than thirty years.[3] She helped develop health provider Te Kohao in Hamilton, and worked in suicide prevention and homelessness services.[3] Before entering Parliament, Kapa-Kingi was a project specialist for Te Rūnanga o Whaingaroa, Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri Trust, the post-settlement governance entity for her iwi, and was involved in the iwi response to COVID-19 in the Far North.[3] She said it was her involvement in the community response to COVID-19 that inspired her to enter politics.[3]
Political career
edit| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | 54th | Te Tai Tokerau | 7 | Te Pāti Māori | |
On 17 May 2020, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was selected as the Māori Party candidate for Te Tai Tokerau in the 2020 election. She came second to Labour's Kelvin Davis, who won with a margin of more than 8000 votes.[4] Davis had been Labour Party deputy leader since 2017.[5]
Kapa-Kingi was selected again in 2023.[6] The incumbent, Davis, had after the 2020 election become minister for children, and over several controversies, he faced strong criticism by the Māori Party.[7] Kapa-Kingi advocated strongly for children, thus exploiting Davis' political vulnerability.[8] Based on preliminary results published on election might, Davis had held the seat with 487 votes ahead of Kapa-Kingi.[9] When final results were published on 3 November, the lead had been reversed and Kapa-Kingi was elected as the MP for Te Tai Tokerau, beating the incumbent by 517 votes.[10][11] Davis was re-elected via Labour's party list, but in mid-December 2023 he announced his retirement from politics effective Waitangi Day 2024.[12]
By mid-December 2023, Kapa-Kingi had become Te Pāti Māori's whip and joined Parliament's business select committee. She also became the party's housing, Oranga Tamariki, children, infrastructure, building and construction, transport, regional development, rural communities, local defence, civil government and small businesses spokesperson.[13]
In early May 2024, Kapa-Kingi gave a speech in Parliament accusing the National-led coalition government of embarking on a "mission to exterminate Māori" by seeking to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989. During her speech, she said "I might be tempted to change tone and say: Pai ana, get rid of Section 7AA, and while you're at it get rid of the entire act and the rotten institution that is Oranga Tamariki, which should in fact be named matenga tamariki (killing children) because it and its predecessor has only caused strife and ruin." Kapa-Kingi's remarks drew criticism from National Party leader Christopher Luxon Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, who described her rhetoric and language as "unhelpful." Labour MP Willie Jackson and Green MP Hūhana Lyndon criticised Kapa-Kingi's choice of words. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters also denounced her speech as "ignorant and offensive" while ACT Party leader David Seymour described her comments as "disgraceful," adding that the three coalition parties had Māori members. By contrast, Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer defended Kapa-Kingi's speech and accused the Government of seeking to exterminate Māori through its policies and processes.[14][15]
Personal life
editKapa-Kingi has triplet sons and a daughter. Her son, Eru Kapa-Kingi, was ranked two places lower than her on the Te Pāti Māori party list in the 2023 election.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Te Tai Tokerau electorate". Policy.nz. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Meet the team: Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Candidate for Te Tai Tokerau". Te Pāti Māori. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d Johnsen, Meriana (18 May 2020). "Māori Party announces Mariameno Kapa-Kingi to run for Te Tai Tokerau". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ Electoral Commission (2020). "2020 Te Tai Tokerau – Official Result". Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Davison, Isaac (1 August 2017). "Who is Labour's new deputy leader Kelvin Davis?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "Maori Party announces Mariameno Kapa-Kingi as Te Tai Tokerau candidate" (Press release). Te Pāti Māori. Waatea News. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ McConnell, Glenn (28 September 2022). "Kelvin Davis, the 'bulldozer' of Oranga Tamariki, on why he won't close the children's ministry". Stuff. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Wikaire-Lewis, Mana (5 October 2023). "Te Tai Tokerau: Will Davis tighten his hold or a new champion arise?". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Dinsdale, Mike; Jensen, Myjanne; Stone, Brodie (17 October 2023). "Northland electorate back to blue while Te Tai Tokerau has Kelvin Davis narrowly ahead". Northern Advocate. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Pearse, Adam (4 November 2023). "Change of heart: Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis says he will remain in politics". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Te Tai Tokerau – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ Perry, James (15 December 2023). "'I want her to see me as a grandfather' – Kelvin Davis retires for his mokopuna". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Te Pāti Māori Portfolios List" (PDF). Waatea News. 14 December 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ McConnell, Glenn (7 May 2024). "National and Labour say Te Pāti Māori MP went too far saying Government planned 'to exterminate Māori'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Smith, Anneke (8 May 2024). "Te Pāti Māori comments: 'That kind of language isn't helpful'". RNZ. Archived from the original on 12 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Mateariki, Atereano (4 October 2023). "Kapa-Kingi goes online to lure voters". Waatea News. Retrieved 4 November 2023.