Adrian Rurawhe
{{Short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable
| name = Adrian Rurawhe
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP|size=100%}}
| image = Adrian Rurawhe August 2022 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Rurawhe in 2022
| order = 31st Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
| term_start = 24 August 2022
| term_end = 5 December 2023
| monarch = Elizabeth II
Charles III
| governor-general = Cindy Kiro
| primeminister = Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Christopher Luxon
| deputy = Greg O'Connor
| predecessor = Trevor Mallard
| successor = Gerry Brownlee
| office2 = Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
| 1blankname2 = {{nowrap|Speaker}}
| 1namedata2 = Trevor Mallard
| termend2 = 24 August 2022
| termstart2 = 26 November 2020
| predecessor2 = Anne Tolley
| successor2 = Greg O'Connor
| office3 = Second Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives
| 1blankname3 = {{nowrap|Speaker}}
| 1namedata3 = Trevor Mallard
| termend3 = 26 November 2020
| termstart3 = 8 November 2017
| predecessor3 = Trevor Mallard
| successor3 = Jacqui Dean
| parliament4 = New Zealand
| constituency_MP4 = Labour Party list
| term_start4 = 14 October 2023
| term_end4 =
| parliament5 = New Zealand
| constituency_MP5 = Te Tai Hauāuru
| term_start5 = 20 September 2014
| term_end5 = 14 October 2023
| predecessor5 = Tariana Turia
| successor5 = Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
| majority5 = 1,053
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1961}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse =
| relations = Matiu Rātana (grandfather)
Iriaka Rātana (grandmother)
{{nowrap|T. W. Ratana (great-grandfather)}}
Matt Ratana (cousin){{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018765731/nz-born-officer-matiu-ratana-fatally-shot-in-england |title=NZ-born officer Matiu Ratana fatally shot in England |date=26 September 2020 |work=Radio New Zealand |access-date=30 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006025756/https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018765731/nz-born-officer-matiu-ratana-fatally-shot-in-england|archive-date=6 October 2020}}
Soraya Peke-Mason (cousin){{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/speaker-adrian-rurawhe-will-not-contest-seat-going-list-only/3LQR4IMADFBDJPJBDBI7EVW3FQ/ |title=Speaker Adrian Rurawhe will not contest seat, going list only |date=26 January 2023 |work=New Zealand Herald |first=Thomas |last=Coughlan}}
| children =
| residence =
| profession =
| website = {{url|http://www.labour.org.nz/adrianrurawhe}}
}}
Adrian Paki Rurawhe (born 1961){{cite web |url= https://www.parliament.nz/media/6305/roll-of-members-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives-1854-onwards.pdf |title=Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards |date=24 May 2019 |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=3 September 2020}} is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. He has been an MP since 2014, and the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2022 to 2023.
Rurawhe held the seat for the Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate from 2014 to 2023. Due to the demands of being speaker, he did not contest the electorate in the 2023 election, but returned to Parliament at number 11 on Labour's party list.
Family and professional career
Rurawhe is a grandson of Matiu and Iriaka Rātana, who were both Members of Parliament for the Western Maori electorate between 1945 and 1969. He is a great-grandson of Rātana founder T. W. Ratana.{{cite news|url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11173660 |title=Rurawhe new Labour candidate |work=Wanganui Chronicle |date=17 December 2013 |access-date=2 October 2014 |first=Laurel |last=Stowell}} 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.
Rurawhe has a background in health and education. He was the chairman of the Ngāti Apa iwi for ten years and was on the team that negotiated the 2011 treaty settlement with the Crown through the Waitangi Tribunal.{{cite web|title=Settlement|url=http://www.ngatiapa.iwi.nz/settlement.html|publisher=Ngāti Apa|access-date=2 October 2014}} Koro Wētere, the former Eastern Maori MP, encouraged his early involvement in politics and was a mentor for Rurawhe.Interview in Dominion Post, 31 January 2015 p C5
Political career
{{NZ parlbox header|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term = 51st
|start = {{NZ election link year|2014}}
|end = 2017
|party = New Zealand Labour Party
|electorate = Te Tai Hauāuru
|list = none
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term = 52nd
|start = {{NZ election link year|2017}}
|end = 2020
|party = New Zealand Labour Party
|electorate = Te Tai Hauāuru
|list = none
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term = 53rd
|start = {{NZ election link year|2020}}
|end = 2023
|party = New Zealand Labour Party
|electorate = Te Tai Hauāuru
|list = 24
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term = 54th
|start = {{NZ election link year|2023}}
|end = present
|party = New Zealand Labour Party
|electorate = List
|list = 11
}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
Rurawhe worked alongside Tariana Turia, to whom he is related, when she was still a member of the Labour Party.{{cite news |last1=Ihaka |first1=James |title=Election 2014: Rurawhe has big shoes to fill |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11329008 |access-date=2 October 2014 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421101456/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11329008|archive-date=21 April 2019|url-status=live}} He was a member of the Māori Party between 2004 and 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/9483671/Ratana-progeny-likely-candidate |title=Ratana progeny likely candidate |work=Stuff |date=6 December 2013 |access-date=2 October 2014 |first=Vernon |last=Small |author-link=Vernon Small|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421095905/http://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/9483671/Ratana-progeny-likely-candidate|archive-date=21 April 2019|url-status=live}}
=First term, 2014–2017=
At the {{NZ election link|2014}}, after Turia had retired from politics, Rurawhe contested the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate for Labour and defeated Chris McKenzie of the Māori Party.{{cite news|last=Grocott|first=Matthew|url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/10528506/Rurawhe-regains-seat-for-Labour |title= Rurawhe regains seat for Labour |publisher=Stuff |date=27 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025031230/http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/10528506/Rurawhe-regains-seat-for-Labour|archive-date=25 October 2018}}
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.{{Cite web|title=Official Information (Parliamentary Under-Secretaries) Amendment Bill – New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL64530_1/official-information-parliamentary-under-secretaries|access-date=8 March 2021|website=www.parliament.nz|language=en}}
=Second term, 2017–2020=
Rurawhe retained Te Tai Hauāuru for Labour in the 2017 general election.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/75999049/te-tai-hauauru-mp-plans-to-stand-for-reelection-in-2017 |title= MP plans to stand for reelection in 2017 |work=Stuff |date=18 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181025031244/http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/75999049/te-tai-hauauru-mp-plans-to-stand-for-reelection-in-2017 |archive-date=25 October 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Official Count Results – Te Tai Hauauru|url=http://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-68.html|publisher=Electoral Commission|access-date=24 December 2017|location=Wellington}} Following the formation of the Sixth Labour Government in October 2017, Rurawhe was elected to the office of assistant speaker. 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.{{Cite web |last=New Zealand House of Representatives |title=Standing Orders |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/parliamentary-rules/standing-orders-2017-by-chapter/chapter-1-general-provisions-and-office-holders/ |access-date=5 May 2022 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en |quote=Standing Order 30: No member who is the leader of a party or who holds office as a whip may be appointed Deputy Speaker or Assistant Speaker.}} Speaker Trevor Mallard 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansD_20171108_20171108|title=Wednesday, 8 November 2017 – Volume 725|date=8 November 2017|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|access-date=9 November 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025041007/https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansD_20171108_20171108|archive-date=25 October 2018}}
=Third term, 2020–2023=
Rurawhe won re-election in the 2020 general election, defeating the Māori Party's candidate, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. When the official results were released, Rurawhe had a majority of 1,035,{{cite web |title=Te Tai Hauāuru – Official Result |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-69.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |access-date=13 November 2020 }} but after the Māori Party requested a recount in Te Tai Hauāuru, Rurawhe's majority increased slightly to 1,053.{{cite web |title=Amended Official Result for the Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Hauāuru Electoral Districts |url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2020-au5297 |work=New Zealand Gazette |access-date=20 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Maxwell |first1=Joel |title=Māori Party-sought recount sees fewer votes for co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/123446749/mori-partysought-recount-sees-fewer-votes-for-coleader-debbie-ngarewapacker |access-date=20 November 2020 |agency=Stuff |date=19 November 2020}} Following the election, Rurawhe was nominated as deputy speaker in the new Parliament, and was formally appointed to the role on 26 November.{{cite web |title=Daily progress for Thursday, 26 November 2020 |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/daily-progress-in-the-house/daily-progress-for-thursday-26-november-2020/ |website=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=25 November 2020}}
File:Adrian Rurawhe - confirmation letter.jpg, confirming his appointment as speaker of the House of Representatives, at Government House, Wellington, on 24 August 2022]]
As part of a cabinet reshuffle on 13 June 2022, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern designated Rurawhe to replace Trevor Mallard as the next speaker of the House. It was announced that Mallard would resign in mid-August 2022 to assume a diplomatic position in Europe.{{Cite news |first=Thomas |last=Manch |title=Labour's new Cabinet – who's in, who's out, as Trevor Mallard and Kris Faafoi resign |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/128950128/labours-new-cabinet--whos-in-whos-out-as-trevor-mallard-and-kris-faafoi-resign |date=13 June 2022 |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=Stuff |language=en-NZ}}{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Irra |title=Mallard to step down as Speaker for diplomatic post |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/06/13/mallard-to-step-down-as-speaker-for-diplomatic-post/ |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=1News |date=13 June 2022}} 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, after Peter Tapsell.{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Russell |title=Gaurav Sharma hijacks Speaker ceremony to accuse Trevor Mallard |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/473418/gaurav-sharma-hijacks-speaker-ceremony-to-accuse-trevor-mallard |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=24 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824103906/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/473418/gaurav-sharma-hijacks-speaker-ceremony-to-accuse-trevor-mallard |archive-date=24 August 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Trevett |first1=Claire |last2=Pearse |first2=Adam |title=MP Adrian Rurawhe elected Speaker, Gaurav Sharma makes new accusations against Trevor Mallard |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mp-adrian-rurawhe-elected-speaker-gaurav-sharma-makes-new-accusations-against-trevor-mallard/CUC6J2ITAULN6FM5V5V4QTDQPI/ |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=24 August 2022}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Ensor |first1=Jamie |title=New Speaker Adrian Rurawhe threatens to give Opposition more chances to question ministers if Government doesn't change tack |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/new-speaker-adrian-rurawhe-threatens-to-give-opposition-more-chances-to-question-ministers-if-government-doesn-t-change-tack.html |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=Newshub |date=24 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824110136/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/new-speaker-adrian-rurawhe-threatens-to-give-opposition-more-chances-to-question-ministers-if-government-doesn-t-change-tack.html |archive-date=24 August 2022|url-status=dead}}
=Fourth term, 2023–present=
Rurawhe did not contest the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate in the 2023 general election, but stood as a list-only candidate, as all previous incumbent speakers under MMP have done. He said that he felt the demands of being speaker meant that he could not serve the electorate fully.{{cite news |last=Ellis |first=Moana |date=26 January 2023 |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300793189/rurawhe-will-not-contest-te-tai-hauuru-moves-to-labour-list |title= Rurawhe will not contest Te Tai Hauāuru, moves to Labour list |work=Stuff |access-date= 29 September 2023}} He was placed 11 on the Labour party list.{{cite news |title=Labour releases party list for 2023 election |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/494829/labour-releases-party-list-for-2023-election |access-date=8 November 2023 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=31 July 2023}} During the 2023 general election, Rurawhe was re-elected on the party list.{{cite web |title=2023 General Election - Official Result |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/successful-candidates.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |date=3 November 2023|access-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212062203/https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/successful-candidates.html|archive-date=12 December 2023|url-status=live}}
Following the formation of the National-led coalition government in late November 2023, Rurawhe became spokesperson for Whānau Ora and Associate Māori Development in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.{{cite news |title=Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins reveals new shadow Cabinet |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503581/labour-party-leader-chris-hipkins-reveals-new-shadow-cabinet#:~:text=The%20full%20line%2Dup%3A,Grant%20Robertson%20%2D%20Finance%2C%20Racing |access-date=18 December 2023 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211134745/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503581/labour-party-leader-chris-hipkins-reveals-new-shadow-cabinet#:~:text=The%20full%20line%2Dup%3A,Grant%20Robertson%20%2D%20Finance%2C%20Racing |archive-date=11 December 2023}}
Following a shadow cabinet reshuffle in early March 2025, Rurawhe retained his Whānau Ora portfolio but lost his Māori Development portfolio.{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Russell |title=Chris Hipkins announces new Labour 'economic team', Tangi Utikere promoted |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/544048/chris-hipkins-announces-new-labour-economic-team-tangi-utikere-promoted |access-date=8 March 2025 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=7 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307011659/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/544048/chris-hipkins-announces-new-labour-economic-team-tangi-utikere-promoted |archive-date=7 March 2025}}
= Political views =
Rurawhe voted against the End of Life Choice Act 2019{{Cite web |title=End of Life Choice Bill — Third Reading – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20191113_20191113_16 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}} and against the Abortion Legislation Act 2020.{{Cite web |title=Abortion Legislation Bill — Third Reading – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20200318_20200318_24 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Politics|New Zealand}}
- [https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/rurawhe-adrian/ Page on New Zealand Parliament website]
- [https://www.labour.org.nz/adrianrurawhe Page on Labour Party website]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|nz}}
{{s-bef | before = Tariana Turia}}
{{s-ttl | title=Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauāuru | years=2014–2023}}
{{s-aft| after=Debbie Ngarewa-Packer}}
|-
{{S-bef|before=Trevor Mallard}}
{{S-ttl|title=Speaker of the House of Representatives|years=2022–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Gerry Brownlee}}
{{end}}
{{NZ Labour Party}}
{{Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand}}
{{Current members of the New Zealand House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rurawhe, Adrian}}
Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs
Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:Speakers of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:Te Pāti Māori politicians
Category:New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates
Category:Candidates in the 2017 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2020 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2023 New Zealand general election