Jason Walls: Newstalk ZB Political Editor on the death of Te Pati Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp

There'll be a by-election in Auckland in the coming weeks, following the death of Te Pati Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp early yesterday. 

She was 50 and had been battling kidney disease. 

Kemp's body has arrived at Hoani Waititi Marae this morning, where she will lie in state for mourners to visit, before her tangi on Tuesday. 

Newstalk ZB’s Jason Walls told Ryan Bridge it’s almost certain Labour’s Peeni Henare will run for the seat, and would be likely to win. 

He says Te Pati Maori would need to find a new candidate and would be hard pressed to find someone with better name recognition than Henare – unless John Tamihere himself ran. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tried to tradement news. Yes, today you'll know this with
the death of Depati Marti, MP Tacker Titajh Camp and
now there will be a by election in her seat
of Thommachimikodo, which she won by just forty two votes
against Labor incumbent Penny Henade at the last election. Jason
Wall's our political editor, Jason, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
So when is the by election likely to be held?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Do we know all these details? We don't actually know. Yes,
there was a couple of points yesterday where we tried
to get some information, but it was really just not
the time to be asking those questions yesterday. Technically it's
got to be the Governor General that well basically gives
it though the green light. We know that this will
happen because the seat is, as we know now vacance.

(00:41):
That's the Tamaki Mikoto Auckland Marty seat up there. So
we're still waiting to get a few of those details
at this stage, but it won't be very long, I
would imagine.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Do you think Penny will run again? As he obviously
wouldn't have said anything, but do you think he will?

Speaker 2 (00:56):
I think he probably will. I think he's definitely the
front runner in that seat to only lose by forty
two votes, and you know there was some controversy behind
those votes, with the Manu Mara as well being in
the headlines not so long ago. So I would say
say that it's pretty I would say it's pretty likely
to almost certain that Pini Hennade would run in that

(01:18):
seat and would be likely to win. TEA Party MARTI
would need to find a new candidate, but it would
be hard to find somebody that would have better that
name recognition than Pennie Hennoe.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
Unless John Tommerhead he runs himself.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
I was just about to say there is one caveat
to that that Tamahay does decide to run, but you know,
he had a you know, he's a he's a controversial figure.
He is these days is more in the background, pulling
the strings of the parties in being in in the limelight.
But even then, you know, I think that Pini Henaday,
you know, he's he's he's been in the he's been

(01:56):
in the headlines. He's been a part of the Auckland
March be seen for a long time. He's very well known.
I think that he'd probably still have a very good
good chance in that case.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Okay, interesting, Jason, appreciate your time this morning Jason Moore's
News Talks it Be as political editor for.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
More from early edition with Ryan Bridge.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Listen live to News Talks it Be from five am weekdays,
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