National List MP based in Port Hills, Nuk Korako, today announced he will retire from Parliament.
“It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to work for our Port Hills community. We have shared some trying times together. The earthquakes, the Port Hills fires and the recent terror attack. I leave knowing our community has grown together and become stronger.
“Over the past five years I have been privileged to be the Chair of the National Party Māori Caucus, a member of the Māori Affairs, and Local Government and Environment Select Committees. Since 2017 it has also been a privilege to be the Party’s Spokesperson for Māori Development and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations.
“I’m especially proud to have chaired the Māori Affairs Select Committee – shepherding 16 Treaty Settlements to a conclusion. The Parihaka settlement is a particularly poignant one for me. Te Whiti and the Taranaki men that were wrongfully imprisoned were looked after by my Rāpaki hapū and so our ties run deep.
Korako ran against long-time Labour MP Ruth Dyson for the Port Hills electorate in 2014 and 2017 with the National’s Party vote rising considerably. He has also been a vital member of National’s Māori caucus, providing leadership and guidance to the wider Kahurangi National group which he set up with a new regional structure.
“I wanted to retire now so a new National Party candidate could be selected and have time to get to know the issues and people of Port Hills well ahead of the election. I expect National to do well in the 2020 race for Port Hills and I will be there to support the new candidate when they are selected,” Korako says.
“I will miss my friends and parliamentary colleagues from across the House. I’ve forged strong relationships with the Māori members on both sides of the house and look forward to those friendships continuing.”
Korako’s focus will now turn to a range of opportunities that he will pursue. He is also looking forward to spending more time with his wife Chris and their four sons. He will deliver his valedictory speech on May 1st.
Haere Ra Tutehounuku Korako
I te rangi nei ka pānui a Tutehounuku Kōrako, Te Rārangi Mema Pāremata o Nāhinara, kei Port Hills e noho ana, ka rītaia a ia i Te Pāremata.
“He hōnore, he pārekareka te mahi mō tō tātau hapori i Port Hills. He rite tonu tā tātau mahitahi i roto wā uaua. Ko ngā rū whenua tērā, ko ngā ahi i ngā Hiwi o Port Hills tērā, ā, i te wā nei, ko te whakatuatea tērā. Ka wehe atu au i runga i te mōhio kua tipu tahi ake tō tātau hapori, kua kaha ake.
I ngā tau e rua kua hipa, nōku te hōnore ki te tū hai Waha Kōrero mō Te Pāti Nāhinara i ngā Take Whakawhanake Māori, i ngā Whiriwhiringa Take Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, he mema o Te Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Māori me Te Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Kāwanatanga ā-Kāinga,Take Taiao.
Tino whakahīhī au i tū hai heamana o Te Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Māori – e hēpara ana i ngā Whakataunga Tiriti e 16 ki tētahi whakaotinga. He tino whakaaroha ake mōku te whakataunga Parihaka. Nā tōku hapū o Rāpaki i tiaki a Te Whiti me ngā tāne o Taranaki, ēra i mauherengia hēngia, ā, nō reira, hōhonu ana te rere o ō mātau herenga.”
Ko Kōrako tērā i tana tūranga hai heamana o Te Uepu Māori o Te Pāti Nāhinara, i whanake i te kaha o ngāi Māori i roto i Te Pāti Nāhinara. Nāna ngā Rōpū Māori ā-rohe Nāhinara, a Kahurangi, i whakapūmau, ā, ka haere tonu tēnei mahi āna.
Ko Korako tērā i whakataetae i a Ruth Dyson, te Mema Pāremata tū roa rā a Reipa mō te rohe pōti Port Hills i te tau 2014 me te tau 2017, ā, me te āhua piki anō o te pōti pāti a Nāhinara.
“I hiahia au ki te rītaia i nāianei kia kaha ai te whiriwhiri kaitono hou mō Te Pāti Nāhinara, ā, kia whai wā ai ki te mōhio ki ngā take me ngā tāngata o Port Hills, mua noa atu i te wā pōtitanga. Ki ahau nei, ka pai ake a Nāhinara i te rēhitanga 2020 mō Port Hills, ā, kai reira hoki au ki te tautoko i te kaitono hou ka kōwhiria ana rātau.
“Ka mokemoke au mō aku hoa, me aku hoa pāremata puta noa i Te Pāremata. He mārō ngā whanaungatanga kua tuituia e au i te taha o ngā mema Māori i ngā taha e rua o Te Whare, ā, ka titiro whakamua atu ki aua whakahoahoatanga e haere tonu ai”, tā Kōrako i kī.
Ka huri te arotahi o Kōrako i nāianei ki tētahi whānuitanga o ngā angitu hai whai māna. Ko tāna anō hoki, he titiro whakamua atu ki te whakapau i te nui kē atu o te wā i te taha o tana hoa rangatira, a Chris, me wā rāua tama e whā. Hai te tahi o Haratua e tukua ai e ia tana kauhau poroporoaki.
