Peeni Henare announced today his decision not to seek re-election at the next general election.

“I have thought long and hard about this over the summer and decided not to seek the nomination for Tāmaki Makaurau again or a place on the Labour Party list,” Peeni Henare said.

First elected to Parliament in 2014, Peeni Henare represented Tāmaki Makaurau for nearly a decade, and has served across multiple ministerial portfolios, including most recently as Minister of Defence, Minister for Whānau Ora, and Minister for Tourism.

“It has been an honour to be a Labour MP and serve as a Minister for six years, I’m proud of our record in Government and I know the next Labour Government will continue the hard mahi.

“Last year was tough after losing the by-election and after careful consideration and kōrero with my whānau over the break, I have decided that it is time for me to take a step back from politics.

“It’s time to focus on my family, my wellbeing and my future,” Peeni Henare said.

“I want to thank my Labour caucus colleagues for all their support, and I will continue to tautoko their work and the party from outside Parliament,” Peeni Henare said.

Peeni Henare will depart from Parliament in the coming weeks.