Saturday 20 August 2011

Maori Party President Pem Bird is delighted to announce the selection of Waihoroi Shortland to contest the Te Tai Tokerau seat for the Maori Party in the 2011 General Election.

“Waihoroi is an outstanding candidate who is driven by a passion for Te Tai Tokerau and a calling to represent his people in Parliament” said Mr Bird.

“He describes himself as Te Aupouri by birth; Ngati Hine by choice and Ngapuhi by affiliation. Whakapapa connects him to Ngati Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngati Rangi, Ngati Rahiri and Ngati Wai. His commitment to Tai Tokerau is deeply ingrained”.

“Waihoroi was nurtured in a whanau with a strong sense of community and service to others; and he has spent the last forty years of his working life in some form of service to Maori; a dedication of service that we know will be essential to his success as Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau”.

“Waihoroi is known across the motu – indeed across the globe – for his performance as ‘Shylock’ in Te Tangata Whairawa o Weneti – the Maori Merchant of Venice – for which he won Best Actor in 2003”.

“He is a strong Maori language advocate, a writer, a journalist, an actor, and a cultural advisor. His career in broadcasting spans over 25 years. But perhaps his greatest skill as a communicator is his personal belief that being understood and hearing the views of others is far more important to him than merely being heard”.

“Waihoroi is married with six children and 21 mokopuna”.

“We welcome Waihoroi into what will be a fascinating campaign” said Mr Bird.

“He has a burning desire to ensure that the multitude of achievements secured by the Maori Party over these last three years, are known in every household in Te Tai Tokerau.

“Waihoroi enters into the fray, confident that Te Taitokerau is winnable and he is capable of delivering that victory. There is no better proof of that commitment, than in the presentation he delivered to the selection panel yesterday, in which he said:

“I want to represent the Maori Party, because I believe that it offers the Maori constituency from Tamaki to Te Rerenga Wairua a better way forward. It continues to show the nation that there is a reasoned path down which we all can walk, that Maori values will enhance and not detract from the aspirations we might hold as a nation”.

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