Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
In office 29 June 2013 – 14 October 2023
Preceded by
Parekura Horomia
Succeeded by
Cushla Tangaere-Manuel
Personal details
Born
Melissa Heni Mekameka Whaitiri
(1965-01-11) 11 January 1965 (age 59)
Political party
Te Pāti Māori (2023–present) Labour (before 2023)
Children
2
Melissa Heni Mekameka Whaitiri (born 11 January 1965) is a New Zealand politician and former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She was first elected to Parliament in the 2013 Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election for the Labour Party.
Whaitiri served as Minister of Customs for the Sixth Labour Government on two separate occasions but resigned from her party on 3 May 2023 to contest the 2023 general election for Te Pāti Māori.[1] For the remainder of the parliamentary term, she was treated as an independent member in the House,[2] and was defeated in her bid to retain Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by the Labour candidate, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel.
^Cite error: The named reference 1News20230503 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Meka Whaitiri remains an MP - 'waka-jumping' law not triggered - Speaker". NZ Herald. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
Retrieved 14 May 2023. "MekaWhaitiri". New Zealand Labour Party. Retrieved 29 June 2013. Laing, Doug (20 September 2014). "MekaWhaitiri wins Ikaroa-Rawhiti"...
statue, and eventually, Mei Irihapiti Robin (now Mei Whaitiri, the mother of local MP MekaWhaitiri), was selected. A traditional piupiu skirt, and the...
Rurawhe after they staged a haka (dance) to welcome former Labour MP MekaWhaitiri. The Māori Party caucus had not sought permission from the Speaker or...
the services of creative agency "Motion Sickness." Labour minister MekaWhaitiri defected to Te Pāti Māori on 3 May 2023. On 15 June, Te Pāti Māori co-leader...
Minister removes MekaWhaitiri as a minister". Stuff. Retrieved 28 December 2018. Austin, Astrid (27 December 2018). "MekaWhaitiri addresses her sacking...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
June 2023. "Heather Te Au-Skipworth ditches Māori Party role after MekaWhaitiri switch". Stuff. 20 June 2023. "Cameron Brewer Selected As National's...
cabinet were Kris Faafoi, Peeni Henare, Willie Jackson, William Sio, and MekaWhaitiri. The Green Party announced on 21 October its three ministers outside...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
between the first and second readings. From Labour, Allan, Russell, Rurawhe, Whaitiri and Wood changed from voting for to voting against, while Williams voted...
Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for staging a haka welcoming for Labour MP MekaWhaitiri when Parliament was welcoming the coronation of Charles III. Luxon has...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
Education. In another cabinet reshuffle by Hipkins on 8 May 2023, caused by MekaWhaitiri resigning from the Labour Party, Luxton was appointed Minister of Customs...
retaining her Seniors portfolio and relinquishing the Food Safety role to MekaWhaitiri. In a February 2023 reshuffle under new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins...
siege". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 5 October 2023. "Will voters punish MekaWhaitiri for waka jumping?". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 5 October 2023. "Older...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
earthquake and the 2017 Port Hills fires. When Minister of Customs MekaWhaitiri "stood aside" in August 2018 over a "staffing matter" pending an investigation...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
2022. Allan had a previous relationship with another Labour Party MP, MekaWhaitiri. In April 2021, Allan announced she would be taking medical leave from...
Faafoi David Clark William Sio Phil Twyford Poto Williams Stuart Nash MekaWhaitiri New Zealand First Winston Peters Ron Mark Tracey Martin Shane Jones...
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