Rawiri Waititi

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Rawiri Waititi
MP
Co-leader of the Māori Party
Assumed office
28 October 2020
Co-leader with Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Preceded byJohn Tamihere
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Waiariki
Assumed office
17 October 2020
Preceded byTamati Coffey
Majority836
Personal details
Born1980/1981 (age 40–42)[1]
Ōpōtiki, New Zealand
Political partyMāori (2016–present)
Labour (until 2016)
Spouse(s)Kiri Tamihere-Waititi
Children5
RelativesHoani Waititi (grand-uncle)
June Mariu (aunt)
Kahurangi Waititi (relation)
John Tamihere (father-in-law)
WebsiteMāori Party profile

Rawiri Wikuki Waititi (born 1980 or 1981) is a New Zealand politician. He is co-leader of the Māori Party and has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Waiariki since 2020.[2] A member of the Māori Party, his election to the New Zealand Parliament returned the party to parliamentary politics following their defeat at the 2017 general election.

Political career[]

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2020–present 53rd Waiariki 2 Māori Party

Labour Party, 2014–2016[]

In the 2014 election, Waititi ran for the Labour Party in Waiariki.[3] As he was not placed on the Labour Party list, his only way to Parliament was to win Waiariki, however, he lost the seat of Waiariki to Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.[4]

Defection to the Māori Party[]

In 2016, following Kīngi Tūheitia Paki's speech backing the Māori Party,[5] Waititi announced he would be supporting the Māori Party.[6]

2020 general election[]

On 23 February 2020, Waititi was announced as the Māori Party candidate for Waiariki for the 2020 election. Following his nomination, Waititi said that there was "an imminent need, now more than ever that Māori have a voice who solely prioritises their aspirations and their needs and that is unapologetic about doing so. The Māori Party is the only party who can do that."[7] At the 2020 election, Waititi successfully unseated the Labour MP Tāmati Coffey, winning by 836 votes, and became the MP for Waiariki.[8]

The final election results showed that the Māori Party had won 1.2% of the party vote, entitling them to two seats, so Waititi's electorate win meant not only his entry to Parliament, but also that of female co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.[9][10] Of the forty-two new MPs elected to the 53rd Parliament,[11] two are from the Māori Party.[2][12][13]

Under the Māori Party's constitution, its co-leaders must be drawn from its MPs first, with one male and one female co-leader.[14] At a special general meeting of the party on 28 October 2020, Waititi was confirmed as the male co-leader, replacing his father-in-law, John Tamihere.[15]

First term[]

Before being sworn in to the 53rd parliament, Waititi performed a waerea to protest being required to pledge allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II without reference to the Treaty of Waitangi.[16] On 26 November, Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer walked out of Parliament after the Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard declined his motion that the Māori Party be allowed to speak for 15 minutes during the opening on Parliament on the grounds that MPs from smaller parties were not scheduled to deliver their maiden speeches until the following week. Waititi described Mallard's decision and the parliamentary system as unfair.[17]

In late December 2020 and early January, Waititi participated in negotiations with 16 prisoners who were involved in unrest at Waikeria Prison stemming from allegations of inhumane and unhygienic conditions at the prison. Several of the prisoners had requested the presence of a Māori leader such as Waititi as a prerequisite to ending the unrest. He stated, "these men belong to whanau... that they deserve the right to be treated humanely, with fresh water, food and clean clothing and they deserve to have someone advocating for them."[18] Following five days of unrest, the prisoners surrendered to the authorities following negotiations involving Waititi.[19][20]

On 9 February, Waititi was ejected from Parliamentary proceedings by Speaker Mallard for refusing to wear a necktie in line with Parliament's business attire dress core. Waititi instead wore a hei tiki necktie, which he described as Māori business attire. Waititi had earlier criticised wearing neckties, describing them as "colonial noose[s]" during his maiden speech last year. When Waititi attempted to ask Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis a supplementary question, Mallard denied him permission to speak since he was not wearing a tie. When Waititi sought a point of order, Mallard ordered him to leave. Waititi was supported by fellow Māori Party MP Ngarewa-Packer, who wore a tie in mockery of the rules.[21][22] The following day, a Standing Orders meeting accepted a Māori Party submission proposing the elimination of neckties from Parliament's business attire. As a result, Mallard announced that it would no longer be compulsory to wear ties in Parliament.[23] Billionaire Virgin Group founder Richard Branson praised Waititi's actions, describing the rule around neckties as "archaic."[24]

On 12 May, Waititi was ejected from parliamentary proceedings following a heated argument with the opposition National Party leader Judith Collins about the proposed creation of a Māori Health Authority. In the past two weeks, National had alleged the Labour Government was promoting a "separatist agenda" through the Māori Health Authority and other policies seeking to fulfil partnership responsibilities under the Treaty of Waitangi. Waititi accused Collins of racism and sought to raise a point of order about indigenous rights. When his point of order was denied by the Speaker Mallard, Waititi did a haka war dance, prompting the Speaker to order him to leave Parliament. Waititi left with Māori Party co-leader Ngarewa-Packer and Green MP Teanau Tuiono, who expressed solidarity with him.[25][26]

Personal[]

Rawiri Waititi was born in the Eastern Bay of Plenty area. His father is Winston Waititi (youngest brother of Dame June Mariu) of Whangaparāoa / Cape Runaway, and his mother is Florence Waititi (née Taitua) of Pōtaka. Rawiri is the oldest of their four children. Rawiri spent his first 12 years living in Whangaparāoa and was schooled under the guidance of his kaumātua (elders) and his hapū, Te Whānau a Kauaetangohia. It was here he went to Kohanga reo and was an ex-pupil of Te Kura Mana Māori o Whangaparāoa before he moved to West Auckland to live with his Aunty Dame June in Te Atatū North (now Te Atatū Peninsula). It was here he did his secondary schooling at Rutherford High School (now Rutherford College) alongside another current politician, Simon Bridges. Rawiri met his wife, Dr Kiri Tamihere, in West Auckland.

Waititi is of the Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāi Tai, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui iwi. He is a father of five[27] and husband to Kiri Tamihere-Waititi, the daughter of John Tamihere.[28] He is the grandnephew of Hoani Waititi.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ "Waiariki electorate". Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Election 2020: The 40 diverse new MPs entering Parliament". The New Zealand Herald. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020 – via Newstalk ZB.
  3. ^ a b Shanks, Katee (12 September 2014). "Election Profile: Rawiri Waititi". Rotorua Daily Post. The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Official Count Results – Waiariki". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  5. ^ Forbes, Mihingarangi (21 August 2016). "Māori King rejects Labour in unscripted speech closing". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Former Labour candidate for Te Waiariki Rawiri Waititi on Paakiwaha". Waatea News. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Waititi To Stand For Māori Party In Waiariki". Scoop (Press release). Māori Party. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Waiariki – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  9. ^ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Special votes: National loses two MPs, one each to Labour, Māori Party". Radio New Zealand. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  11. ^ Lynch, Jenna (6 November 2020). "NZ Election 2020: Judith Collins will 'definitely not' stand down as leader despite National's crushing defeat". Newshub. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ^ Lynch, Jenna (6 November 2020). "NZ Election 2020: Judith Collins will 'definitely not' stand down as leader despite National's crushing defeat". Newshub. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  13. ^ Moir, Jo (6 November 2020). "Special votes: National loses two MPs, one each to Labour, Māori Party". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Māori Party Constitution" (PDF). 12 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi replaces John Tamihere as co-leader". Radio New Zealand. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  16. ^ Wade, Amerlia (25 November 2020). "From a top hat to an oath race: The 53rd Parliament is sworn in". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  17. ^ Patterson, Jane (26 November 2020). "Māori Party MPs walk out of Parliament in protest". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Waikeria Prison unrest: Protesters leave rooftop to meet Waititi". Radio New Zealand. 31 December 2020. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Waikeria Prison surrender: Family members claim complaints about 'disgusting' conditions made, despite Corrections saying otherwise". Stuff. 3 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Waikeria Prison rioters surrender after six-day stand-off; jail conditions not reason for unrest, says Kelvin Davis". The New Zealand Herald. 3 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  21. ^ Cooke, Henry (9 February 2021). "Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi kicked out of House for refusal to wear a tie". Stuff. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  22. ^ Walls, Jason (9 February 2021). "Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi enters Parliament without tie, is kicked out by Mallard". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Ties now optional in Parliament after Rawiri Waititi booted out for not wearing one". The New Zealand Herald. 10 February 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Sir Richard Branson comes out in support of Rawiri Waititi's Parliament tie victory". 1 News. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  25. ^ Manch, Thomas; Cooke, Henry (12 May 2021). "Māori Party's Rāwiri Waititi ejected from House for haka protest against National's 'racist propaganda'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  26. ^ McClure, Tess (13 May 2021). "Māori party co-leader ejected from parliament after performing haka in racism row". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  27. ^ "Rawiri Waititi ~ Waiariki". Māori Party. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  28. ^ "Rawiri Waititi: Unapologetically Māori". E Tangata. Retrieved 18 October 2020.

External links[]

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Waiariki
2020–present 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Co-leader of the Māori Party
2020–present
Served alongside: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer 		Incumbent
Retrieved from ""