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Ultra-marginal battleground

Te Tai Tokerau

Māori electorate

—

days to election day

What it takes to flip this seat

AE

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi won by 517 votes in 2023. Just 259 voters switching to Te Pāti Māori would have flipped Te Tai Tokerau.

In the news

Coverage naming Te Tai Tokerau or Mariameno, from our tracked feeds.

The roster

The defender's record, and who's confirmed to challenge them in 2026.

Won Te Tai Tokerau by a majority of 517 in 2023, making it an ultra-marginal seat.

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is a New Zealand politician who represents Te Tai Tokerau in the New Zealand House of Representatives. After several decades in iwi social and health services, she was elected at the 2023 general election representing Te Pāti Māori.

Full MP profile

What Mariameno has prioritised this term

Official roles, sourced from parliament.nz.

Select committees

Business
Officers of Parliament
Privileges
Standing Orders
Transport and Infrastructure

Legislative activity this term

From Parliament's official bills record, as at 28 August 2026.

Members' bill in the ballot (1)

Oranga Tamariki (Mokopuna Māori Authority) Amendment Bill

Written questions to Ministers this term

What is this, and why does it matter to you?

Any MP can put a written question to a Minister, demanding information on the record. The Minister must reply, usually within days. It costs nothing and needs no debate, which makes it the main day-to-day tool MPs use to hold the government to account between bills. It matters most for opposition MPs, who can't pass laws but can still force information into the open. Which Ministers an MP questions most, below, is a numbers-based picture of what they watch on your behalf, and it's worth comparing against what they say they prioritise.

15written questions asked since the 2023 election

Where it's gone, by Minister

Minister of Housing

9

Minister for Social Development and Employment

5

Minister for Māori Development

Battlegrounds map 2026 election

2023 result and margin: Electoral Commission. 2026 candidates are added only once officially confirmed — never assumed.

Read 5 recent questions & replies, in Mariameno’s and the Minister’s own words

To the Minister for Social Development and Employment · 2025-05-23

"What is the current number of rangatahi aged 18 and 19 who are unemployed and reliant on Jobseeker Support or Emergency Benefits and are also young parents?"

Reply: I refer the Member to reply number 27123 (2025)

To the Minister for Social Development and Employment · 2025-05-23

"What is the current number of rangatahi aged 18 and 19 who are unemployed and reliant on Jobseeker Support or Emergency Benefits?"

Reply: I refer the Member to reply number 27123 (2025)

To the Minister for Social Development and Employment · 2025-05-23

"What advice, reports, briefings, memos, aide memoire, papers or any other communications, if any, has she received regarding her proposal that parents, rather than the welfare system, will be responsible for supporting unemployed 18- and 19-year-olds who cannot support themselves under the planned benefit changes announced in Budget 2025, by title and date?"

Reply: In my capacity as Minister for Social Development and Employment, I regularly request and receive advice on a range of topics. In the interest of transparency, a list of reports received by my office from the Ministry of Social Development is regularly published on the Ministry of Social Development website. The lists of titles published since September 2018 are available here: www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/information-releases/reports-to-minister/index.html. Pape…

To the Minister for Social Development and Employment · 2025-05-23

"What is the current number of rangatahi aged 18 and 19 who are unemployed and reliant on Jobseeker Support or Emergency Benefits that identify as Māori?"

Reply: I refer the member to the attached table, which contains the number of 18-19 year olds with no income declared in receipt of Jobseeker Support of Emergency Benefit. The table also contains information on how many of that cohort are Māori This is also response to written questions 27119 (2025) and 27124 (2025).

To the Minister for Social Development and Employment · 2025-05-23

"Has the Minister attended any meetings regarding her proposal that parents, rather than the welfare system, will be responsible for supporting unemployed 18- and 19-year-olds who cannot support themselves under the planned benefit changes announced in Budget 2025 in the last year, if so, what meetings did she attend; listed by agenda, attendees and dates?"

Reply: I discuss a range of topics with officials & parliamentary colleagues I do not think it would be in the public interest to collate such information.