Over the weekend the voters of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti went to the polls to select their new MP. Labour candidate Meka Whaitiri held off the competition with a 1700 vote majority.
It was a convincing win but nowhere close to the 6000 vote majority once enjoyed by the former Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP, the late Parekura Horomia. Voter turn out was also down with just 10 thousand of 30 thousand registered voters in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti heading to the polls.
Nonetheless Labour leader David Shearer was delighted with his candidates win.