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Adrian Paki Rurawhe (born 1961) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician of
Ngāti Apa Ngāti Apa is a Māori iwi (tribe) in Rangitikei District of New Zealand. Its rohe (traditional tribal lands) extend between the Mangawhero, Whangaehu, Turakina and Rangitīkei rivers. This area is bounded by Whanganui River in the north-west, ...
descent. He is the
speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...
, the second Māori to hold the position, and Member of Parliament for
Te Tai Hauāuru Te Tai Hauāuru electorate boundaries used since the Te Tai Hauāuru is a New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives, that was first formed for the . The electorate ...
.


Family and professional career

Rurawhe is a grandson of Matiu and
Iriaka Rātana Iriaka Matiu Rātana (née Te Rio; 25 February 1905 – 21 December 1981) was a New Zealand politician and Rātana morehu who won the Western Maori electorate for Labour in 1949. She succeeded her husband Matiu Rātana to become the first wo ...
, who were both Members of Parliament for the former
Western Maori Western Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Eastern Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, ...
electorate from 1945 to 1969. He is a great-grandson of
Rātana The Rātana movement ( mi, Te Haahi Rātana) is a church and pan-'' iwi'' political movement founded by Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana in early 20th-century New Zealand. The Rātana Church has its headquarters at the settlement of Rātana Pā near ...
founder T. W. Ratana. His grandfather died before he was born, and he was at secondary school before he was aware that his "Nan" was a Member of Parliament.
Koro Wētere Koro Tainui Wētere (22 June 1935 – 23 June 2018) was a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1969 to 1996, representing the Labour Party. He served as Minister of Māori Affairs in the Fourth Labour Government (1984–1990). Early lif ...
, the former
Eastern Maori Eastern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, an ...
MP, encouraged his early involvement in politics and has been a mentor for Rurawhe. Rurawhe has a background in health and education. He was the chairman of the
Ngāti Apa Ngāti Apa is a Māori iwi (tribe) in Rangitikei District of New Zealand. Its rohe (traditional tribal lands) extend between the Mangawhero, Whangaehu, Turakina and Rangitīkei rivers. This area is bounded by Whanganui River in the north-west, ...
iwi for ten years and was on the team that negotiated the 2011 treaty settlement with
the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
through the
Waitangi Tribunal The Waitangi Tribunal (Māori: ''Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi'') is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. It is charged with investigating and making recommendations on cla ...
.


Political career

Rurawhe worked alongside
Tariana Turia Dame Tariana Turia (born 8 April 1944) is a New Zealand politician. She was first elected to Parliament in 1996. Turia gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy in 2004, and eventually broke with the Labour P ...
, to whom he is related, when she was still a member of the Labour Party. He was a member of the
Māori Party Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
between 2004 and 2008.


First term, 2014–2017

At the , after Turia had retired from politics, Rurawhe contested the
Te Tai Hauāuru Te Tai Hauāuru electorate boundaries used since the Te Tai Hauāuru is a New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives, that was first formed for the . The electorate ...
electorate for Labour and defeated Chris McKenzie of the Māori Party. In his first term of Parliament, Labour was in Opposition and Rurawhe was appointed as the Labour Party spokesperson for civil defence and emergency management (2014–2015), internal affairs (2015–2017) and Treaty of Waitangi negotiations (2017). He was also junior whip after the election of Jacinda Ardern as Labour Party leader. In July 2015, Rurawhe introduced the Official Information (Parliamentary Under-Secretaries) Amendment Bill. Under the provisions of the bill, information held by parliamentary under-secretaries would be classified as official information and consequently subject to Official Information Act requests. The bill was passed into law with the support of all parties except New Zealand First and received royal assent in July 2016.


Second term, 2017–2020

During the 2017 general election, Rurawhe successfully retained Te Tai Hauāuru for Labour. Following the formation of the Sixth Labour Government in October 2017, Rurawhe was elected to the office of Assistant
Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...
. National Party MP Simon Bridges challenged Rurawhe's election to the Chair on grounds that Rurawhe's name was still on the door of the Whip's office. Party whips are not eligible to be a presiding officer. Speaker
Trevor Mallard Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 1984, he was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022. Mallard was a Cabinet m ...
ruled that a name on a door in Parliament is not binding on the House and that the Speaker's office had already been notified in writing that Rurawhe was not a Whip, so the election could proceed.


Third term, 2020–present

During the 2020 general election, Rurawhe won re-election, defeating the
Māori Party Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
's candidate
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi, and is the leader and chief executive of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi. She stood ...
. When the official results were released, Rurawhe had a majority of 1,035, but after the Māori Party requested a recount in Te Tai Hauāuru, Rurawhe's majority increased slightly to 1,053. Following the election, Rurawhe was nominated as Deputy Speaker in the new Parliament, and was formally appointed to the role on 26 November. As part of a cabinet reshuffle that occurred on 13 June 2022,
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
designated Rurawhe to replace
Trevor Mallard Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 1984, he was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022. Mallard was a Cabinet m ...
as the next
Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
. It was also announced that Mallard would resign in mid-August 2022 to assume a diplomatic position in Europe. On 24 August Rurawhe was elected as Speaker of the House with the support of both the governing and opposition parties, becoming the second Māori to hold the position. As Speaker, Rurawhe promised to award opposition parties more opportunities to question Government ministers if the governing Labour party did not shorten some of its answers to its parliamentary debate questions.


Political views

Rurawhe voted against the
End of Life Choice Act 2019 The End of Life Choice Act 2019 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand that seeks to give people with a terminal illness the option of receiving assisted dying. The Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health confirmed that, "The Bill uses “a ...
and against the Abortion Legislation Act 2020.


References


External links


Page on New Zealand Parliament website

Page on Labour Party website
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Rurawhe, Adrian Living people New Zealand Labour Party MPs Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Speakers of the New Zealand House of Representatives 1961 births Ngāti Apa people Māori Party politicians New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates 21st-century New Zealand politicians Candidates in the 2017 New Zealand general election Candidates in the 2020 New Zealand general election