NZ Election 2026

Te Tai Tonga electorate

Te Tai Tonga is a Māori electorate currently held by Labour's Rino Tirikatene, who won comfortably with a margin of 6,855. In 2020, Labour won the greatest share of party votes in Te Tai Tonga – 59% to Green's 12%. Te Tai Tonga is the biggest electorate in the country and includes all of Te Waipounamu, Rakiura, and Rēkohu/Wharekauri.

Te Tai Tonga candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Lisa Marie Murch

Te Pāti Māori

Tania Henare

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Tākuta Ferris

Independent

Mananui Ramsden

Labour Party

Lisa Te Morenga

Green Party

Tania Henare

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Why I'm standing

I believe New Zealand is ready for drug reform, as shown in the 2020 referendum, 48.4% voted for change. People should not be criminalised over a plant. Prohibition does not work. Legalisation can grow the economy and lower the crime rate. Hemp should come under Ministry of Primary Industry not Ministry of Health. Changing hemp status will grow our GDP, the whole plant could be utilised for housing, agriculture, food production and other industrial uses.

About me

I have spent most of my life in Te Tai Tonga, from Invercargill to Christchurch. I have been a recreational user of cannabis, have made and used rongoa for a few years for myself and others. I found the pathway to medical cannabis very costly. It did not make sense to me, I had to see a 'practitioner' to gain a prescription I could make myself. I am pro choice.

My priorities

  1. To make cannabis legal. To expunge all cannabis convictions.
  2. Create a strong cannabis and hemp industry.
  3. Improve the lives of Māori and lower income whanau improving health, housing and growing the economy.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2026 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.