Peeni Henare

The Honourable Peeni Henare MP
Henare in 2023
16th Minister for ACC
In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Carmel Sepuloni
Succeeded by	Matt Doocey
32nd Minister of Forestry
In office 12 April 2023 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Megan Woods (acting)
Succeeded by	Todd McClay
38th Minister of Tourism
In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Stuart Nash
Succeeded by	Matt Doocey
3rd Minister for Whānau Ora
In office 26 October 2017 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Te Ururoa Flavell
Succeeded by	Tama Potaka
41st Minister of Defence
In office 6 November 2020 – 1 February 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Ron Mark
Succeeded by	Andrew Little
14th Minister for Youth
In office 26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Nikki Kaye
Succeeded by	Priyanca Radhakrishnan
26th Minister of Civil Defence
In office 27 June 2019 – 6 November 2020
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Kris Faafoi
Succeeded by	Kiri Allan
8th Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
In office 26 October 2017 – 3 July 2019
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Alfred Ngaro
Succeeded by	Poto Williams
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau
In office 20 September 2014 – 14 October 2023
Preceded by	Pita Sharples
Succeeded by	Takutai Moana Kemp
Majority	927
Personal details
Relations	James Henare (grandfather) Tau Henare (great-grandfather) Dun Mihaka (uncle)
Website	www.labour.org.nz/peenihenare

Peeni Ereatara Gladwyn Henare ([ˈpɛːni ˈhɛnaˌɾɛ]) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician who has been a member of the New Zealand parliament since the 2014 general election. Henare held the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate since 2014 before being defeated by Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Tarsh Kemp in the 2023 general election.

Family

Henare is a great-grandson of Taurekareka Henare, who held the Northern Maori seat between 1914 and 1938.^[1] His grandfather was James Henare,^[1] who had stood for the National Party in five elections between 1946 and 1963.^[2] His father was Erima Henare, who was head of the Māori Language Commission,^[3] and his mother is Te Hemo Ata Henare, a master weaver.^[4]

Henare's uncle was the Māori activist Dun Mihaka.^[5]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
2014–2017	51st	Tāmaki Makaurau	none		Labour
2017–2020	52nd	Tāmaki Makaurau	none		Labour
2020–2023	53rd	Tāmaki Makaurau	18		Labour
2023–present	54th	List	14		Labour

In Opposition, 2014–2017

Peeni Henare won the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate ahead of Rangi McLean of the Māori Party in 2014.^[6] In 2016, a member's bill submitted by Henare which aimed to ban the import of goods produced by slave labour was drawn from the ballot.^[7] The bill had been first introduced by Maryan Street and defeated at its first reading in 2009.^[8] It was again defeated at its first reading in 2016 due to opposition from the National Party and Act New Zealand.^[9]

In Government, 2017–2023

During the 2017 New Zealand general election, Henare was re-elected in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, winning 9,396 votes.^[10] Henare was elected as a Minister outside Cabinet by the Labour Party caucus following Labour's formation of a coalition government with New Zealand First and the Greens in October 2017.^[11] He assumed the portfolio of Minister for Whānau Ora, which falls under the purview of Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry for Māori Development).^[12][13]

Following a cabinet reshuffle in late June 2019, Henare was appointed as Minister of Civil Defence.^[14][15]

During the 2020 general election, Henare retained Tāmaki Makaurau, defeating the Māori Party candidate and co-leader John Tamihere and Green co-leader Marama Davidson. When the official results were released, Henare had a majority of 956,^[16] but after the Māori Party requested a recount in Tāmaki Makaurau,^[17] Henare's majority fell slightly to 927.^[18] In November 2020, Henare was announced as Minister of Defence and Minister for Whānau Ora. He also assumed the health, housing and tourism associate porfolios with responsibility for Māori health and housing.^[19][20]

In May 2022 he indicated to Labour Party President Claire Szabó that he would possibly be unwilling to recontest Tāmaki Makaurau at the 2023 New Zealand general election, preferring instead to contest the election as a list-only candidate.^[21]

In November 2022, Henare in his capacity as Defence Minister visited Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak. He subsequently visited Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov and paid tribute to the fallen at The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine in Kyiv. Henare's visit to Ukraine marked the first visit by a New Zealand cabinet minister since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[22]

During a cabinet shuffle that occurred on 31 January 2023, Henare was succeeded as Defence Minister by Andrew Little. Henare became the Minister for the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), Minister of Tourism, and Minister for the Environment while retaining the Associate Minister of Health portfolio with responsibility for Māori.^[23]

In Opposition, 2023–present

During the 2023 New Zealand general election held on 14 October, Henare lost Tāmaki Makaurau by a narrow margin of 42 votes to Te Pāti Māori (Māori Party) candidate Takutai Tarsh Kemp.^[24] He was re-elected to Parliament on the party list.^[25] In early November 2023, Henare applied for a judicial recount. On 15 November, the Electoral Commission found that Kemp has won by a margin of 42 votes.^[26]

Following the formation of the National-led coalition government in late November 2023, Henare became spokesperson for defence, sport and recreation, and associate health in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.^[27]

On 5 December 2023, Henare was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.^[28]

In February 2024, Henare attracted media attention after he used a metaphor involving a gun during a Māori language speech prior to Waitangi Day. Criticising the Government's policies towards Māori, he stated: "This is a fight that will not be fought just in Parliament. I lift my gun, and I let the shots do the talking." Henare subsequently clarified that he was referring to a "figurative gun" rather than an actual gun. ACT leader David Seymour described Henare's metaphor of shooting people as inappropriate. Henare was defended by Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, who argued that Henare was using a metaphor and not making an actual death threat. Hipkins also responded that Seymour was not in a position to "throw stones" given his 2023 remarks about blowing up the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.^[29]

On 10 December 2024, House Speaker Gerry Brownlee referred Henare along with Te Pāti Māori MPs Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Privileges Committee for leading a haka (ka mate) that interrupted vote proceedings during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill on 14 November 2024.^[30]

Personal life

Henare's partner is Skye Kimura, who served as the chief executive of the consultancy group Tātou until early 2023.^[31][32]

In mid August 2023, the National Party's public service spokesperson Simeon Brown called for the Public Service Commission to investigate the awarding of $600,000 worth of government contracts to Tātou in 2021 and 2022, including $250,000 from the Ministry of Health. In 2018, Henare had disclosed Kimura's business interests to the Cabinet Office and agreed not to be involved in any decisions regarding contracts with her agency. While the Health Ministry confirmed that Tātou had followed the rules and that Henare was involved, it acknowledged that the group had not declared a conflict of interest or instituted an internal management plan.^[31] In mid September 2023, the Health Ministry commissioned an independent review of all contracts it had awarded to Tātou. Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes sought a copy of the findings but declined the National Party's request for a broader review of all government contracts awarded to Tātou.^[32] In February 2024, PwC released its review, which concluded that the Health Ministry had failed to raise any concerns about conflicts of interest around the seven contracts it had awarded to Tātou between 2021 and 2022. Following the report, the Ministry undertook action to educate its staff about dealing with conflicts of interests.^[33]

References

1. "Grandson aims to keep Parliament seat in family". The Northern Advocate. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
2. Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 247. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
3. "Ngati Hine leader Erima Henare dies". Northern Advocate. NZME. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
4. "Northland weavers on mission to replicate Māori sail". Northern Advocate. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2023 – via nzherald.co.nz.
5. Ruru, Karanama; Bhatia, Ripu; Tang, Eda (23 August 2023). "'He was a staunch man': Leaders, whānau pay tribute to Dun Mihaka". Stuff. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
6. Ropiha, Billie Jo (20 September 2014). "Peeni Henare presents humble victory speech". Māori Television. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
7. "Customs and Excise (Prohibition of Imports Made by Slave Labour) Amendment Bill – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
8. "Customs and Excise (Prohibition of Imports Made by Slave Labour) Amendment Bill – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
9. "Customs and Excise (Prohibition of Imports Made by Slave Labour) Amendment Bill — First Reading – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
10. "Tāmaki Makaurau: Electoral Profile". New Zealand Parliament. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
11. "Who's in? Who's out?". Radio New Zealand. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
12. "Ministry of Māori Development". Te Puni Kokiri. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
13. "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
14. "Winners and losers – PM reveals first substantive Cabinet reshuffle". Radio New Zealand. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
15. Small, Zane (27 June 2019). "Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet reshuffle: Phil Twyford's Housing portfolio split into three". Newshub. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
16. "Tāmaki Makaurau – Official Results". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
17. Hurihanganui, Te Aniwa (11 November 2020). "Māori Party requests recount in two electorates after claims of bias". RNZ. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
18. "Amended Official Result for the Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Hauāuru Electoral Districts". New Zealand Gazette. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
19. "Ministerial List for Announcement on Monday" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 November 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
20. "Ministerial List". Ministerial List. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
21. Moir, Jo (2 May 2022). "Big decisions loom on Labour MPs' futures". Newsroom.
22. Coughlan, Thomas (20 November 2022). "Peeni Henare becomes first NZ minister to visit Ukraine since conflict". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
23. Neilson, Michael (31 January 2023). "Cabinet reshuffle: Prime Minister Chris Hipkins unveils new line-up; Government response to Auckland flooding". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
24. "Tāmaki Makaurau - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
25. "2023 General Election - Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
26. "Takutai Kemp extends lead in Tamaki Makaurau recount". 1News. 15 November 2023. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
27. "Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins reveals new shadow Cabinet". Radio New Zealand. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
28. "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
29. Hewett, William (7 February 2024). "Chris Hipkins defends Peeni Henare's use of gun metaphor at Waitangi". Newshub. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
30. McConnell, Glenn (10 December 2024). "'Do I care? No': Te Pāti Māori responds to Speaker's rebuke over haka". Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
31. "National wants review into govt contracts awarded to firm run by partner of Cabinet minister Peeni Henare". Radio New Zealand. 17 August 2023. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
32. McCulloch, Craig (15 September 2023). "Health Ministry seeks review of contracts it has awarded to firm with links to Peeni Henare". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
33. "Health Ministry admits failings in handling contracts it awarded to firm with links to Peeni Henare". Radio New Zealand. 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Pita Sharples	Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau 2014–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Te Ururoa Flavell	Minister for Whānau Ora 2017–2023	Succeeded by Tama Potaka
Preceded by Alfred Ngaro	Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector 2017–2019	Succeeded by Poto Williams
Preceded by Nikki Kaye	Minister for Youth 2017–2020	Succeeded by Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Preceded by Kris Faafoi	Minister of Civil Defence 2019–2020	Succeeded by Kiri Allan as Minister for Emergency Management
Preceded by Ron Mark	Minister of Defence 2020–2023	Succeeded by Andrew Little
Preceded by Carmel Sepuloni	Minister for ACC 2023	Succeeded by Matt Doocey
Preceded by Stuart Nash	Minister of Tourism 2023
	Minister of Forestry 2023	Succeeded by Todd McClay