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Tākuta Ferris

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Tākuta Ferris
MP
Ferris in 2023
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Te Tai Tonga
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 October 2023
Preceded byRino Tirikatene
Personal details
Born1978 (age 45–46)
Political partyTe Pāti Māori
RelativesPiri Sciascia (uncle)

Tākuta "Doc" Ferris (born 1978) is a New Zealand politician. A member of Te Pāti Māori, he was elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives at the 2023 general election as the MP for Te Tai Tonga. Ferris's electoral success was one of the biggest surprises of the 2023 general election. His win was unexpected, with the family of the incumbent Rino Tirikatene having held the Te Tai Tonga electorate for 72 of the last 91 years.

Early life and career

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Ferris was born in 1978.[1] Piri Sciascia was his uncle.[2] Ferris has a degree in Māori design and art, as well as a degree in mātauranga Māori, both from Te Wānanga o Raukawa.[1][3] He is of the Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Porou iwi.[4] Ferris was a lecturer and adviser at Massey University's Manawatū campus.[3][5] He describes himself as "a fisherman, a diver, and an artist".[6]

Political career

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2023–present 54th Te Tai Tonga 5 Te Pāti Māori

On 10 May 2020, Tākuta Ferris was selected as the Māori Party candidate for Te Tai Tonga for the 2020 election. Ferris was quoted as saying that "the status quo is no longer acceptable. It is our responsibility to challenge it and change the development narrative for our tamariki and mokopuna."[4] Ferris was beaten by the incumbent, Rino Tirikatene, by a margin of over 6,800 votes.[3] Following the announcement of the proposed closure of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, Ferris called for the government to put whānau first, arguing that central and regional government should intervene with an aim for a more diversified regional economy.[7]

Ferris was re-selected to stand in Te Tai Tonga for Te Pāti Māori in the 2023 election.[a] His campaign strategy targeted younger voters because older people are "entrapped in the status quo". He stated he intended to increase support for himself from younger people over three to fifteen years as they grow up.[6] Ferris stood in for his party's co-leaders in The Press leaders' debate. He was praised for his contributions to the debate; despite sparring against two senior politicians—Winston Peters and David Seymour—Ferris "stood out from the pack" and was "shining".[6][9] However, journalists considered Ferris "still has little chance of making it to Parliament" since the incumbent Tirikatene's family had represented Te Tai Tonga and its predecessor electorate for 72 of the last 91 years and an opinion poll in late September 2023 had Tirikatene ahead with an 11-point margin.[6][10] Despite these predictions, Ferris defeated Tirikatene with a 2,800-vote margin.[11]

Ferris in 2024

During his maiden speech on 12 December, Ferris stated that he was there not to service the needs of the New Zealand House of Representatives but rather to "contest it." He also criticised the National-led coalition government's policies which he claimed attacked Māori language and culture.[12] He was appointed Te Pāti Māori's education, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, justice, police, corrections, drug law reform, water, fisheries, forestry, broadcasting and public service spokesperson and sits on Parliament's justice committee.[13]

On 25 September 2024, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee referred Ferris to Parliament's Privileges Committee after he made remarks accused Members of Parliament of lying. He said: "Politicians call this obfuscation. The art of making something unclear, intentionally vague, ambiguous, to conceal or obscure the truth, to confuse others. Lies – in other words. Many in this House are masters of it, and it is a disservice to those who voted you into your positions." In response, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters called for a point of order. When Brownlee asked Ferris to withdraw the comment and apologize, he denied making the comment. Brownlee referred Ferris to the Privileges Committee on the grounds that Ferris had "deliberately misled" the House.[14]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ During 2023, the Māori Party formally changed its name to Te Pāti Māori[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Ferris, Tākuta. "Tākuta (Doc) Ferris". Spirit Wrestler Gallery. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Māori Party announce Te Tai Tonga candidate" (in Māori). Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. 10 May 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c de Silva, Tommy (16 October 2023). "Meet the two new MPs from Te Pāti Māori". The Spinoff. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Māori Party Announce Te Tai Tonga Candidate". Scoop. Māori Party. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Doc Ferris". Massey University. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d McConnell, Glenn (12 October 2023). "Tākuta Ferris, a rising star of Te Pāti Māori - but a long way from Parliament". The Press. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Te Tai Tonga Candidate Says "Tiwai Point Whānau Come First"" (Press release). Māori Party. Scoop. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Change to Te Pāti Māori party name". Electoral Commission New Zealand. 19 July 2023.
  9. ^ Neilson, Michael (10 October 2023). "Election 2023: Press Leaders' Debate sees Green Party, Act, NZ First and Māori Party face off". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  10. ^ LaHatte, Deborah (26 September 2023). "Tirikatene tightens grip on Te Tai Tonga". Te Ao News. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  12. ^ "New Te Pāti Māori MPs make defiant debut speeches". Radio New Zealand. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Te Pāti Māori Portfolios List" (PDF). Waatea News. 14 December 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  14. ^ Desmarais, Felix (25 September 2024). "Te Pāti Māori MP headed for Privileges Committee over 'lies' comments". 1News. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
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