Tākuta Ferris to Contest Te Tai Tonga Seat as Independent

Member of Parliament Tākuta Ferris announced he will contest the Te Tai Tonga Māori electorate as an independent candidate in the general election on November 7. Ferris, who won the seat in 2023, was expelled from Te Pāti Māori in November 2025 following internal conflicts and alleged breaches of the party constitution.

Running without a party list safety net, Ferris must win the electorate outright to remain in Parliament. He is centering his campaign on a matakahi, or traditional Māori wedge, consisting of three pillars: Te Tiriti, Te Tangata, and Te Taiao. Ferris argues that an independent mandate allows him to be accountable directly to his constituents and negotiate with any government to deliver regional solutions without party constraints.

Ferris faces a four-way contest against candidates from Te Pāti Māori, the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the New Zealand Labour Party. The Labour Party is attempting to reclaim all seven Māori seats, fielding candidate Mananui Ramsden as an electorate-only candidate to prevent vote splitting. Te Pāti Māori has fielded Lisa Marie Murch to reclaim the seat. Ferris urged voters to use their party vote to change the government while using their candidate vote to elect an independent voice for the electorate.