Former National MP Harete Hipango-Brownlie will return to the campaign trail under a new banner, standing for New Zealand First in the Whanganui electorate at November's election, the party confirmed today.
The veteran Whanganui lawyer will contest the seat she once held for National, this time for Winston Peters' party.
Hipango held the electorate for National from 2017 to 2020, before losing it to Labour in a heavy swing at the 2020 election. She returned to Parliament in June 2021 as a List MP, replacing a resigning Nick Smith, and served until 2023.
A lawyer with more than 30 years' experience across law, health, governance and public policy, Hipango practised in Whanganui for over 25 years before entering Parliament.
She also served on the Whanganui District Health Board.
The party statement said she brought "a lifetime of leadership, advocacy and service to the community she calls home".
Hipango has worked across the justice system, public service, iwi organisations and Parliament, and was involved as a lawyer in the 1995 Pākaitore occupation.
Her move to New Zealand First followed a turbulent final chapter with National.
At the 2023 election, she stood as the party's candidate for the Māori seat of Te Tai Hauāuru, finishing third behind Te Pāti Māori's Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
Ranked 31st on National's list, she was not returned to Parliament.
The MP posted a selfie on her Facebook page of the protest alongside comments criticising division. (Source: 1News)
Her tenure with National was not without controversy.
She drew scrutiny for appearances at anti-vaccine and anti-mandate protests, and later acknowledged asking a staff member to edit her Wikipedia biography.
Hipango was among several candidates named in the latest tranche for New Zealand First, including sitting Napier City councillor Te Kira Lawrence in East Cape, Western Bay of Plenty district councillor Tracey Coxhead in Mt Maunganui, infrastructure executive Billy Brown in Rotorua, and former nurse Kym McDonald-King in Dunedin.
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