Despite not standing in any of the Māori electorates, the National Party now has 9 Māori members of Parliament. That is 2 more than the Labour Party which won 6 of the 7 Māori seats.
The National Māori MPs are Hekia Parata, Paula Bennett, Simon Bridges, Jami Lee-Ross, Mike Sabin, Dr Shane Reti, Paul Foster Bell, Jo Hayes and Tutehounuku 'Nuk' Korako.
So to discuss the new crop of candidates and the National Party's Māori agenda for this term Mihingarangi Forbes is joined from Wellington by their highest ranking Māori MP, the honourable Hekia Parata.