Teanau Tuiono
MP
Tuiono in 2023
Third Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
7 December 2023
Preceded byOffice established
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Green party list
Assumed office
17 October 2020
Personal details
Born (1972-12-25) 25 December 1972
Auckland, New Zealand
Political partyGreen
ProfessionEducation Publisher

Teanau Tuiono (born 25 December 1972) is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 he became a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.[1]

Early life and career

Tuiono was born on 25 December 1972.[2] He is both Cook Islands Māori (Atiu) and New Zealand Māori (Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Takoto); he is tangata whenua, and also belongs to the Pasifika/Moananui diaspora.[3][4] Tuiono grew up in Te Atatū and Ōtāhuhu, with a two-year period in Rarotonga. He initially enrolled for an engineering certificate but partway through changed to a BA in Māori Studies at the University of Auckland. He credits an environmental paper he took there, taught by Jeanette Fitzsimons, as turning him into environmental activism.[2] He followed his BA with a law degree, also from the University of Auckland.[5]

By profession, Tuiono is an education consultant who has previously worked at both the United Nations and was the activist in residence at Massey University.[6]

Tuiono attended the protests at the anti-Springbok tour protests in 1981.[2] Prior to entering parliament, he organised protests for subjects such as GCSB laws,[7] the TPPA,[8] and support for Australian Aboriginal rights.[9] He was also involved in translating Facebook into Māori.[10] In 2021, during a debate on new anti-terrorism laws he recalled how his home had been raided by police during the 2007 New Zealand police raids.[11]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2020–2023 53rd List 8 Green
2023–present 54th List 5 Green

Tuiono stood for the Green Party at the 2017 election and was 16th on the party list. This was not high enough for Tuiono to be elected to parliament, as the party won only 8 seats.[6]

At the 2019 local-body elections, Tuiono stood for Mayor of Palmerston North as the Green Party candidate, running a campaign focusing on the local effects of climate change.[4] He finished a distant second to incumbent Grant Smith.[6]

During the 2020 general election, Tuiono stood as the 8th ranked list candidate for the Green Party and as the party's candidate for Palmerston North. He came third place in Palmerston North, with 2,039 votes.[12] With the Greens winning 10 seats, he became a list Member of Parliament.[13][14] Tuiono is the Green Party's first Pasifika MP.[13]

During his campaign, Tuiono pledged to tackle wealth inequality in New Zealand.[15]

During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Tuiono was re-elected to Parliament on the Greens' party list.[16]

On Thursday 7 December 2023, Tuiono was appointed as the third assistant speaker, the first Green Party MP to become a member on the speaker team[17] and the second MP, after Peter Hilt in 1996, from a party other than National or Labour to become an assistant speaker.[18]

Views and positions

In December 2020, Tuiono joined fellow Green MP Golriz Ghahraman and Labour MP Ibrahim Omer in pledging to form a new parliamentary Palestine friendship group to "raise the voices of Palestinian peoples in the New Zealand Parliament" during an event organised by the Wellington Palestine advocacy group to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.[19]

Tuiono serves as his party's agriculture spokesperson. He supports regenerative agriculture and a move away from intensive dairy farming. He considers it appropriate for MPs to be able to pledge allegiance to Te Tiriti O Waitangi instead of to the King.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Election 2020: The 40 diverse new MPs entering Parliament". Newstalk ZB. 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  2. 1 2 3 Jono Galuszka (23 October 2020). "Teanau Tuiono: activist, sci-fi fan, human rights investigator, MP". Stuff. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Tuiono, Teanau (May 2018). "Going Back to the Island". Core Education. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 Rankin, Janine (16 August 2019). "Greens put climate change at centre of city mayoral contest". Stuff. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. ↑ 5 Sep, Richard Pamatatau |; Read, 2020 | 0 | 9 Min (5 September 2020). "Teanau Tuiono: I knew I had to do more". E-Tangata. Retrieved 20 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. 1 2 3 Cooke, Henry (9 April 2020). "Green Party initial election list puts newcomer Teanau Tuiono ahead of several sitting MPs". Stuff. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  7. ↑ Townend, Lucy (29 July 2013). "GCSB protesters lay TV complaint". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  8. ↑ Townend, Lucy (9 March 2015). "Protesters march against trade deal". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Kirk, Stacey (1 May 2015). "New Zealanders march against Australian plans to close Aboriginal communities". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Facebook now available in Maori". Waikato Times. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Anna Whyte (30 September 2021). "MP speaks of own house raid during counter terrorism law change". OneNews. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  12. ↑ "Palmerston North – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  13. 1 2 Jono Galuszka (18 October 2020). "Election 2020: Palmerston North's 'Cookie quinella' off to Parliament". Stuff. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  14. ↑ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Palmerston North Green Party candidate Teanau Tuiono ramps up election campaign". Stuff. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "2023 General Election: Successful candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "Green MP Teanau Tuiono appointed Assistant Speaker". Stuff. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Daily progress for Thursday, 7 December 2023". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "New Zealand MPs take pledge for Palestine". Palestine Post 24. 9 December 2020. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Local Focus: Palmerston North's Green MP enjoying new role". NZ Herald. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
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