Te Pāti Māori may provide New Zealand's youngest-ever MP at the election, announcing a 20-year-old at number four on its list.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke was announced as the Pāti Māori candidate for Hauraki-Waikato in June, challenging incumbent Nanaia Mahuta, who has held the seat for 15 years.
Te Pāti Māori's 2023 general election list, announced today, places Maipi-Clarke high enough to secure a place in Parliament, should her party's poll fortunes continue on October 14.
The last 1News Verian poll, at the end of July, saw te Pāti Māori collecting 3% of the vote. Assuming Rawiri Waititi retains his Waiariki seat, that means the party would have four seats in Parliament.
Maipi-Clarke is an author, working in māramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), and is a Māori rights advocate. She is the mokopuna of Māori activist Hana Te Hemara and the daughter of Māori broadcaster Potaka Maipi.
A release from the party said it was "walking the talk toward an Aotearoa hou (new New Zealand)".
"With our top 3 candidates (1. Debbie-Ngarewa-Packer, 2. Rawiri Waititi, and 3. Meka Whaitiri) likely to retain their electoral seats, Hana has every chance of becoming Aotearoa's youngest MP at the next election."
Ngarewa-Packer, who is running in the Te Tai Hauāuru seat, is a list MP, having failed to win the seat in 2020. It is held by Labour's Adrian Rurawhe.
Meka Whaitiri won Ikaroa-Rāwhiti for Labour before defecting to te Pāti Māori in May. The seat has been held by a Labour candidate since 2013.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said the party was "intergenerational".
"We are laying the blueprint for an Aotearoa hou and are putting our money where our mouth is. Hana is our succession plan. She embodies the future of this country.
"Today is the beginning of our succession plan for an Aotearoa hou."
Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said rangatahi were "more politically engaged than any other generation".
"It's time we listen to them and make way for them. When we talk about an Aotearoa hou we are talking about people like Hana.
"We have put together a formidable candidate list, stacked with rangatahi who will lead us into the election. We will be running a two-tick campaign to make this happen."
The list showed the party was running candidates in all seven Māori electorate seats, and one in a general seat - Rotorua - which is currently held by National's Todd McClay.
Te Pāti Māori's 2023 party list
1. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (running in Te Tai Hauāuru)
2. Rawiri Waititi (Waiariki)
3. Meka Whaitiri (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti)
4. Hana Maipi (Hauraki-Waikato)
5. Tākuta (Doc) Ferris (Te Tai Tonga)
6. Takutai Kemp (Tāmaki Makaurau)
7. Mariameno Kapa-Kingi (Te Tai Tokerau)
8. Merepeka Raukawa-Tait (Rotorua)
9. Eru Kapa-Kingi
10. Keanu Flavell
11. Hilda Peters
12. Arabela Boatwright
13. Pere Huriwai-Seger
14. Hoera Kereama
15. Te Ao Kapa
16. Bridget Bell
17. Te Whakapono Waikare
18. Rivah Hura
19. Conor Watene-O'Sullivan
20. Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish
21. Lady Tureiti Moxon
22. Dedrie Hemingway
23. Nancy Tuaine
24. Teresa Butler
25. Kyla Campbell-Kamariera
26. Jacqui Harema
27. Te Waka Ruapounamu McLeod
28. John Tamihere
29. Elijah Pue
30. Rangi Mclean
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