Te Tai Tonga MP, Tākuta Ferris has hit out at the Labour Party and a political strategy regarding its candidate list which he says “limits representation from the largest Māori electorate in the country”.

Today the party announced its candidate list for this years general election where party President Jill Day said “The team we are putting forward today is focused on ensuring that working hard in New Zealand means getting ahead – that people can afford to live and build a future here at home.”

Senior Labour MP, Willie Jackson, who is the highest placed Māori MP on the list says he’s proud of where Māori feature going into this years election “I think the list represents a commitment from Labour to Māori. It’s not just 3 in the top 10, but 5 in the top 20”

However, Jackson confirmed the Labour candidate for Te Tai Tonga, Mananui Ramsden had opted out of the list process “Mananui Ramsden has made a strategic decision to go off the list, he would have got a good placing, without a doubt in the top 40 or 35. He’s made a strategic decision because, he doesn’t want to give Doc a lifeline”

Tākuta, or otherwise known as Doc, responded on social media saying “Had Labour backed its Te Tai Tonga candidate with a list position, there was a clear pathway for the electorate to potentially have both an electorate MP and a Labour MP with a direct connection to Te Tai Tonga. That possibility has now been removed.”

“We should be tactical to ensure Māori communities have the strongest possible representation at a time when Māori rights, Māori aspirations and Te Tiriti o Waitangi are under sustained attack by this Government.” Ferris said.

The ‘2 for 1’ tactic is often used in the Māori seats during election campaigns as a strategy whereby one MP would enter into Parliament as the electorate MP, and another māori MP enter as a list MP.

The strategy was used by Te Pāti Māori during the byelection for Tāmaki Makaurau in 2025, where Oriini Kaipara went up against Peeni Henare. Henare was already guaranteed a place in Parliament due to his high list placing for Labour, thus the ‘2 for 1’ tactic could be applied.

Tuia understands Ferris will stand as an independent MP in the upcoming general election, which means he himself would have no list to guarantee a place in Parliament.

However, he could have potentially campaigned using the ‘2 for 1’ tactic, asking voters to push him through as the electorate MP for Te Tai Tonga, and Mananui Ramsden through as a Labour Party list MP. This now becomes impossible as Ramsden could only get through if he wins the seat.

He further criticised the Labour Party saying ” If this was Labour’s decision, voters deserve to know why the party chose not to back its Te Tai Tonga candidate through the list. If not a Labour decision, voters deserve to know why Labour accepted an outcome that reduced the opportunity for greater representation from Te Tai Tonga.”

Māori MP’s feature across Labour List

Todays announcement further confirms the Party’s support of new political candidate Kiingi Kiriona. Kiriona secured the 22nd spot on the list, which if he stood at the last election, would see him enter Parliament on the list.

However, Kiriona spoke to media today where he confirmed that he was actively campaigning to win the Hauraki-Waikato seat “I’m grateful for the support of the party in my list placing but I want to make it clear that I’m here to compete for the seat to ensure we change the government”

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, incumbent MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti also secured a high placing, number 9 on the list, sending her into the top 10 for the first time.

Elsewhere on the list, Willie Jackson takes number 4, while Willow-Jean Prime is at number 7, Jo Luxton at number 17, and Shanan Halbert in at number 19.

Party President Jill Day said ““Our list is drawn from communities, regions and cultures across New Zealand. We’re combining seasoned MPs with fresh voices, and the team includes leaders in health, education, small business, community development and environmental protection. 

“National promised to fix the economy and the cost of living. They’ve made both worse. This election is a choice; a government focused on itself, or a team focused on the people of New Zealand.”