Mariameno Kapa-Kingi
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Te Tai Tokerau
Assumed office
14 October 2023
Preceded byKelvin Davis
Majority517
Personal details
Born1960 or 1961 (age 62–63)[1]
Political partyMāori
Children4

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.

Early life

Kapa-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

New Zealand Parliament
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]

Personal life

Kapa-Kingi has triplet sons and a daughter. Her son, Eru Kapa-Kingi, was ranked two places lower than her on the Te Pati Maori party list in the 2023 election.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Te Tai Tokerau electorate". Policy.nz. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Meet the team: Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Candidate for Te Tai Tokerau". Te Pāti Māori. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Johnsen, Meriana (18 May 2020). "Māori Party announces Mariameno Kapa-Kingi to run for Te Tai Tokerau". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Electoral Commission (2020). "2020 Te Tai Tokerau – Official Result". Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Davison, Isaac (1 August 2017). "Who is Labour's new deputy leader Kelvin Davis?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "Te Tai Tokerau – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ Mateariki, Atereano (4 October 2023). "Kapa-Kingi goes online to lure voters". Waatea News. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
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