Kerrin Leoni declares mayoral bid, champions Te Tiriti

Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni says she's running for mayor in next year's local elections, confirming her earlier interest in the role.

Speaking to Fala Haulagi on PMN Tuvalu, Leoni discussed her mayoral race motivations, views on the Treaty Principles Bill, and the hīkoi protest.

The Labour Party member is a first-term councillor for the Whau ward and expressed earlier interest in the mayoral race.

After several conversations with political mentors, Leoni said, "Yes, I am definitely [running]".

"And it has now actually gone into the New Zealand Herald because I did put a Facebook post up saying that I was looking at putting myself forward.

"So yes, it's officially gone into the Herald that I'm interested in standing, and I will be standing and I look forward to starting that campaign soon."

Watch Kerrin Leoni's full interview via PMN Tuvalu's FB page below:

Last week, Parliament passed the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill (TPB), a legislative proposal to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.

Introduced by ACT Party leader David Seymour, the Principles Bill sought to clarify the Treaty's interpretation, sparking significant controversy and widespread protests among communities and opposition parties.

During the parliamentary session, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke led a haka in protest, which resulted in both her suspension from the House for one day and a viral moment seen by tens of millions of people across the globe.

Grammy-winning neo-soul artist Erykah Badu shared the now viral Parliament moment:

Regarding the TPB and its ignition of activism, Leoni emphasised the importance of community mobilisation in standing against the bill.

"I made sure that I took my twins as well because I said in my post that I want to be able to look back at this moment.

"That's history in the making knowing that we were there to stand up for the rights for Māori and for tangata tiriti."

She also highlighted the collective and diverse effort involved in the protest moving through the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

"We had our Pasifika community going over the bridge. We had our tangata tiriti, everyone was there on the day,” she told Haulagi.

"All coming together, schools, tamariki - It was really positive and there was no negative feeling at all."

Leoni expressed disappointment with Seymour’s Bill, especially considering his heritage.

"For David, it is a shame because he is part Māori as well, but obviously he doesn't acknowledge that side of him.”

She drew parallels to other indigenous contexts, saying, "It's like any other country when you think of the Pacific Islands.

"If you were to say that Sāmoans should just be treated the same as every other person that arrives at Sāmoa, we all know that that's not right.

"That's the language that's spoken in the country, that's the culture everyone practises on a day-to-day basis, and that's how it was for Māori when we were here."

Thousands of people are expected in Wellington as part of the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti. Photo /RNZ/Pokere Paewai.

Leoni underscored how important it is that education around Te Tiriti is on the uptick, considering that for many years prior, "people just didn't want to know".

"So the next generations are really making a huge difference in our country."

Leoni also slammed veteran politician Shane Jones, who said Maipi-Clarke should be jailed for performing a haka during the debate.

She said Jones failed to make a difference for Māori and should not be a leader for tangata whenua.

Leoni said Jones, Deputy Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters, and Seymour need to make space for younger leaders, especially wāhine.

"I can't believe [Jones] even said that, knowing that he was supported for years by his kaumātua to get his education overseas and to be in the position that he's in.

"People sacrificed a lot for Shane to follow that pathway. He was supported by Māori to do that, not be Pākehā.

"I believe he felt threatened by this young wahine toa, and she's amazing.”

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. Photo /RNZ/Samuel Rillstone.

Looking ahead to the hīkoi protest scheduled outside Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday, Leoni expects a significant turnout, which added to her disappointment that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon would be absent.

"[Luxon] chose to be the Prime Minister of this country and he should be there to accept all those protesters that have taken time out of work.

"That have taken time out of their families to stand up for something. So that is a real shame.

"I'm sure that the streets of Wellington will just be full because from what I'm hearing from people... they're all going to be down there."