Rawiri Waititi
Sitting MP · WaiarikiTe Pāti Māori co-leader and Waiariki MP; iwi leader, Ringatū minister and Whānau Ora practitioner.
Stated priorities: Defend Māori electorates, oppose punitive welfare settings, respond to unemployment and living costs, reduce inequality and influence the next government.
Latest party-vote polling
Polls measure nationwide support for Te Pāti Māori, not this candidate or this electorate — no electorate-level figures are published in these releases.
Te Pāti Māori manifesto promises
56 policy commitments on file for the party this candidate stands for.
- • Lift incomes so people can live with dignity and strengthen welfare so whānau are not punished for being poormaoriparty.org.nz
- • Provide practical cost-of-living relief, including more affordable transportmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Support Māori-owned supermarkets, local kai sellers and community food systems to improve access to affordable, healthy foodmaoriparty.org.nz
- • [Stuff news source] Create a $30,000 tax-free income threshold, reduce the rate to 15% for income from $30,001–$60,000, and provide a kai tax credit worth about $1,000 for people earning $60,000 or lessstuff.co.nz
- • Establish Māori-led institutions and funds to grow Māori enterprise, trade, innovation and long-term wealthmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Strengthen welfare and housing support so whānau can meet essential costs, restore whānau authority and invest in whānau-led caremaoriparty.org.nz
- • Restore whānau authority over the care of Māori children, invest in whānau-led care, and make the state accountable for harm caused through uplifts and placementsmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Strengthen welfare and housing support so whānau can meet essential costsmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Establish Māori-led education authority and solutions, embed mātauranga Māori across learning, and remove barriers to education and trainingmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Strengthen Māori governance and decision-making in education and invest in te reo Māori learning pathwaysmaoriparty.org.nz
- • [RNZ news source] Introduce land-banking and vacant-house taxesrnz.co.nz
- • [Stuff news source] Introduce a 33% land-banking tax after 12 months without development action, a 2% vacant-house tax, and 5% stamp duty on residential sales except first homes below $1 millionstuff.co.nz
- • Make the wealthiest pay their fair share and use the revenue for housing, health, education and whānau supportmaoriparty.org.nz
- • [RNZ news source] Introduce a 5% stamp duty on residential sales, excluding first-home buyers purchasing below $1 million; adjust income-tax settings; restore the company rate to 33%; add a targeted tax credit; and increase tax-enforcement fundingrnz.co.nz
- • [Stuff news source] Set income-tax rates at 0% to $30,000; 15% to $60,000; 33% to $90,000; 39% to $180,000; 42% to $300,000; and 48% above $300,000; restore company tax to 33%; tax offshore profit transfers at 5%; and invest $1 billion in tax-enforcement agenciesstuff.co.nz
- • Protect whenua and moana from extractive industries, including banning seabed miningmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Invest in climate resilience for communities most at riskmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Support regenerative and sustainable approaches aligned with Māori valuesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Invest in climate resilience for communities most at risk and support regenerative, sustainable approaches aligned with Māori valuesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Protect whenua and moana from extractive industries, including banning seabed miningmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Build and support more public and affordable homes and make it easier to build homes on Māori and ancestral landmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Act against housing speculation, land banking and vacant propertiesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Build and support more public and affordable homes, make building on Māori and ancestral land easier, and act against speculation, land banking and vacant propertiesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Introduce a 33% land-banking tax after 12 months without development action, a 2% vacant-house tax, and 5% stamp duty on residential sales except first homes below $1 millionstuff.co.nz
- • Build and support more public and affordable homes and act against speculation, land banking and vacant propertiesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Rebuild and strengthen Māori-led health authority and servicesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Shift healthcare toward prevention and whānau wellbeing, with accessible and culturally safe services accountable to Māorimaoriparty.org.nz
- • Rebuild Māori-led health services and make care accessible, culturally safe and accountable to whānau and communitiesmaoriparty.org.nz
- • Support Māori-led disability services and decision-making, simplify access and fund assistance around whānau realities rather than bureaucratic categoriesmaoriparty.org.nz
Speeches and coverage
Stories and statements that name Rawiri Waititi, updated automatically as they are published.
- 3 Jul 2026Waatea NewsLeader interviewRawiri Waititi questioned on health, leadership and election vision
The interview covered health-system pressures, housing, education, economic transformation, party direction and MMP strategy.
- 21 Mar 2026The Bradbury Group / Daily BlogCo-leader interviewRawiri Waititi on Māori seats, welfare and the cost crisis
Waititi discussed Māori electorates, welfare sanctions, unemployment, inflation, inequality and the election.
- 20 Mar 2026YouTubeSocial media — Candidate interviewRawiri Waititi: candidate interview
Interview covering Māori electorates, welfare, unemployment, inflation and inequality.
- 4 Nov 2025Arataua / Māori+Co-leader interviewIn Their Own Words | Te Pāti Māori
Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer answered questions about internal tensions, leadership and the party’s direction.
- 27 May 2024RNZ MATABudget protestTe Pāti Māori leaders discuss disrupting Budget 2024
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi discussed nationwide mobilisation against the Budget and the party’s opposition strategy.
Recent Te Pāti Māori speeches and statements
- 1 Sept 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseTe Tiriti Entrenchment Policy
Constitutional reform package to make Crown obligations enforceable.
- 16 Aug 2026YouTubeSocial media — Campaign launch coverageTe Karere / Te Pāti Māori: Campaign launch coverage
Video report of Te Pāti Māori's campaign launch and candidate-vote strategy to maximise Māori representation. Evidence: Public broadcaster social video
- 15 Aug 2026Stuff / RNZCampaign launchTe Pāti Māori reveals candidate-vote election strategy
Campaign coverage detailed the plan to seek Māori-electorate votes while encouraging supporters to allocate party votes across the left bloc.
- 6 Aug 2026Official party sitePolicy statementMake Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding
Te Pāti Māori called for binding Tribunal recommendations, a Te Tiriti commissioner and impact statements.
- 3 Jun 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseCost of living policy
Policy direction on incomes, welfare and transport affordability.