Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is a New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorate that was formed for the. It covers the eastern North Island from East Cape south through Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa to Wainuiomata and most of the Hutt Valley, but not southern Lower Hutt or Wellington City.
It was held by Parekura Horomia of the Labour Party from 1999 until his death in 2013. A by-election to replace him was held on 29 June 2013. Meka Whaitiri held the seat for ten years under the Labour Party before changing political allegiances. Whaitiri left the Labour Party in early May 2023 and joined Te Pāti Māori. According to a ruling by the speaker of the House, Whaitiri continued to represent the electorate, not on behalf of a party, but as an independent.
Labour's Cushla Tangaere-Manuel became MP in 2023.
Population centres
As the electorate's name suggests, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is a long electorate covering the eastern North Island.The electorate includes the following population centres :
- Gisborne
- Wairoa
- Napier
- Hastings
- Central Hawke's Bay
- Tararua District
- Masterton and the Wairarapa district
- Wellington – Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt—northern suburbs, western hills, and Wainuiomata
Tribal areas
The electorate includes the following tribal areas:- Ngāti Porou – Potikirua ki Te Toka-a-Taiau
- Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki – Gisborne and Poverty Bay
- Rongowhakaata – Poverty Bay
- Ngāi Tāmanuhiri – Poverty Bay
- Ngāti Kahungunu – Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, Hastings, Napier and Wairarapa
- Ngāti Toa – Hutt Valley, and northern Lower Hutt