A community leader with Tongan heritage has been selected by the Green Party to contest the Ōtāhuhu electorate in New Zealand’s 2026 General Election.
Te Whatanui Leka Taumalolo Skipwith will stand for the Greens in the diverse South Auckland electorate, bringing a background in community development, social services, kaupapa Māori initiatives and environmental advocacy.
Skipwith has whakapapa to Te Arawa, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi and Kāi Tahu, as well as Tongan heritage.
A husband and father, Skipwith said his political approach was grounded in service, kotahitanga and strengthening the wellbeing of whānau.
His selection adds another candidate with Pacific connections to the 2026 election contest as political parties prepare campaigns across the country.
Community work
Skipwith has spent much of his career working with vulnerable communities through youth development, mental-health services, social services and kaupapa Māori initiatives.
His work has involved supporting whānau facing complex challenges while promoting longer-term wellbeing and community resilience.
He has also become known for advocacy surrounding the protection of the ancestral whenua and waterways of Rotokākahi, supporting mana whenua leadership and environmental protection.
Skipwith said his campaign would focus on listening to people in Ōtāhuhu and ensuring the voices of South Auckland communities were represented in Parliament.
He identified housing affordability and security, cost-of-living pressures, healthcare, education, opportunities for rangatahi, safer neighbourhoods and environmental protection among issues affecting the electorate.
Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi would also be part of his campaign.
Taking campaign into communities
Rather than concentrating solely on conventional political campaigning, Skipwith intends to meet residents in places where communities already gather, including churches, marae, sports clubs, community halls and neighbourhood events.
He believes meaningful political discussions should take place within communities rather than being confined to Parliament.
Ōtāhuhu is one of Auckland’s highly diverse areas, with significant Māori and Pacific communities alongside people from a wide range of migrant backgrounds.
Housing, employment, transport, education, healthcare and the continuing pressure of living costs are expected to be among issues facing voters during the election campaign.
The Green Party said Skipwith’s experience working directly with whānau had given him an understanding of challenges confronting South Auckland families.
For Skipwith, the campaign is centred on giving local communities a greater voice in decisions affecting their future and creating conditions in which tamariki, rangatahi, workers, kaumātua and whānau can thrive.
