Rino Tirikatene

Rino Tirikatene is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, representing the Te Tai Tonga electorate since the 2011 election. He is a member of the Labour Party. He comes from a family with a strong political history.

Early life

Born in Rangiora, Tirikatene affilliates to the Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Hine iwi.^[2] He is the grandson of Sir Eruera Tirikatene and the nephew of Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan. His grandfather and aunt between them held the Southern Maori electorate for 64 years from 1932 and 1996. As such, the name Tirikatene is for many voters synonymous with the Māori electorate that covers the southern part of New Zealand.^[3]

Member of Parliament

Tirikatene stood for Labour in Te Puku O Te Whenua in the 1996 election.^[4] His father, Rino Tirikatene senior, was originally selected for the seat but died suddenly on the campaign trail. Tirikatene was asked to replace his father.^[1] That year, New Zealand First won all Māori electorates, with Rana Waitai beating Tirikatene and Tu Wyllie defeating Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan.^[5]

He was selected to represent Labour in the Te Tai Tonga electorate on 1 December 2010.^[6] Te Tai Tonga is one of the seven Māori electorates, covers the South Island plus Wellington^[7] and is New Zealand's largest electorate by area.^[8] In the New Zealand general election, 2011, Tirikatene was placed at number 45 on the Labour Party list.^[9]

He contested the Te Tai Tonga electorate against the incumbent, Rahui Katene of the Māori Party. Labour's selection of Tirikatene was criticised as cynical by Katene, as they are both from the same hapū, but this was rejected by Tirikatene, as "all Maoris connect up somewhere along the line".^[7] Based on preliminary results published on the night of the election, Tirikatene won the electorate with a margin of 1,445 votes.^[10] The electorate had previously been held by Labour, from 1999 until 2005.^[11] He is currently the Labour Spokesperson for Tourism.

References