Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
The MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, has died at the age of 50.
The Te Pāti Māori MP was at Parliament on Wednesday, before travelling back to Auckland.
She had taken leave from Parliament last year, following a diagnosis of kidney disease.
Kemp recently celebrated her 50th birthday.
She won Tāmaki Makaurau by a slim margin of just four votes over Labour MP Peeni Henare in 2023. A recount later widened the margin.
Previously she was tumuaki of the Manurewa Marae and a director of Hip Hop International.
Te Pāti Māori confirmed Kemp had died in the early hours of Thursday morning.
In a statement, the party said it was "heartbroken", and she "died as she lived: fighting for the cause."
"Takutai Moana devoted every breath to the movement for Māori liberation and worked tirelessly to serve her community of Tāmaki Makaurau."
Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: Supplied/ Te Pāti Māori
The party said she continued to stand in the House, on marae, in communities while she navigated her health journey, and "she always stood up for our mokopuna."
"As a movement, we are devastated by this news.
"Takutai was more than a colleague to us, she was our sister, and we loved her dearly."
The party requested privacy and time and space for Kemp's whānau to "gather, mourn, and celebrate their māmā, their daughter, their nan."
Labour MPs (from left) Carmel Sepuloni, Willie Jackson, and Peeni Henare speak at Parliament on the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone
"We wish to take this time to honour our tuahine, to honour her parents, her children, her mokopuna and her whānau.
"Further details regarding her tangihanga and opportunities for the public to pay their respects will be shared once confirmed."
The party also shared a mihi.
"Mahuta mai rā ko Matariki, ko Pūanga i Te Tahi o te Tau. Maiea Te Waka o Rangi, maiea Taramainuku kia ruiruia ngā mate nui o te wā. Auē te mamae e ngau kino nei i te ngākau e Takutai Moana, kua riro ki te pō uriuri, ki te pō tangotango ki a Mairerangi, ki Te Pūtahi-nui-a-Rehua noho ai. Takoto mai rā i te pūtahitanga o ngā maunga whakahī kia haoa e Te Kupenga nui a Taramainuku hai whetū ririki i te pō."
MPs will meet on Thursday afternoon to acknowledge Kemp's death and offer tributes. After that, as a mark of respect, Parliament will adjourn for the remainder of the week.
All flags on the Parliamentary Precinct were flying at half-mast and expected to stay that way for several days.
Kemp's death will trigger a by-election in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told Midday Report her legacy would be in the development of young people, her advocacy for the rainbow community and supporting those in poverty.
Arena Williams, Carmel Sepuloni, Peenie Henare and Willie Jackson. Photo: Samuel Rillstone / RNZ
Waititi said the party understood she'd been unwell for about a year, but she was in her "strongest advocation and in her strongest energy" over the last couple of days, so it had "really come as a shock for us".
He explained she'd been in the House on Wednesday, and shared lunch with the party, but had travelled back to Auckland for her dialysis.
"Our movement is absolutely devastated with her passing.
"Today, emotions were raw and we're still raw now as we prepare to farewell her, but also celebrate a life."
Waititi said she died as she lived, "serving her people."
He said parties had strong personalities, and because Te Pāti Māori was so small, it was like a "storm in a teacup", but he described Kemp as "the calm."
"She could bring very calm energy into our team."
He spoke about her dedication to the development of rangatahi, as the CEO of Hip Hop New Zealand, and her dedication to community as the CEO of Manurewa Marae.
"She was there for our communities finding it the hardest."
Waititi said the impact Kemp made was felt politically but also as a community leader.
"Her living legacy will be first of all in her tamariki and her mokopuna.
He also pointed to her work developing rangatahi, advocating for the rainbow community and supporting those in poverty.
"She was very very strong when it came to the cost of living, and the cost of poverty, and our people who didn't have voices in the places that they should.
"Tarsh was a calming voice, she was a steady voice, she wasn't an aggressive or loud voice like many other MPs.
"She was a calming voice for our people.
"She was a servant leader, and she died as she lived, serving our people."
Waititi revealed it had come to light on Thursday morning that Kemp was still up late last night ringing people to see "how she could help them with different kaupapa".
"She wouldn't allow her illness to define her, and she was committed to this job, and she tried her best with that illness to continue the advocacy for our people."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was saddened to hear of her death.
Luxon said, on behalf of the government, its thoughts are with her whānau, friends, colleagues, and the Tāmaki Makaurau community
"E te māreikura Takutai, haere atu ki Te Rei, ki Te Reinga, ki ō tūpuna ki te pō."
Former prime minister and Labour Party Chris Hipkins posted on social media that it was with "a heavy heart we acknowledge the sudden passing of our colleague and friend".
"Our thoughts are with her whanau and our colleagues of Te Pāti Māori at this sad time. Nō reira okioki mai na koe e te tuahine, e te hoa."
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said it was "very sad news".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with her whanau, family, and friends at this very difficult time," he wrote on X.
Deputy Prime Minister and ACT leader David Seymour said his party's thoughts were with her whanau and Te Pati Māori colleagues.
"With great sadness @actparty MPs acknowledge the passing of our Parliamentary colleague Takutai Tarsh Kemp," he wrote on social media. "She is gone far too soon."
It is with a heavy heart we acknowledge the sudden passing of our colleague and friend Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Our thoughts are with her whanau and our colleagues of Te Pāti Māori at this sad time. Nō reira okioki mai na koe e te tuahine, e te hoa.
— Chris Hipkins (@chrishipkins) June 25, 2025
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said a "great tōtara has passed on".
"Our beloved friend stood as strong as she did with humility for te iwi Māori. This can and will never be forgotten by all of us," she said on behalf of the party's caucus.
"The Green Party sends love to Takutai's whānau, and our extended whānau of Te Pāti Māori."
Labour MPs Willie Jackson, Peeni Henare, Carmel Sepuloni and Arena Williams paid tribute to Kemp.
Henare said he had a "really heavy heart and great sadness", while Jackson described it as "shock news" and said Kemp had a "beautiful soul".
"She was a leader in South Auckland," Jackson explained. "She was a leader in her own right before she came into politics… She was getting herself right, she was looking forward to the next election."
Henare said they "knew that her health was struggling, and it just comes as such a shock", his voice cracking as he spoke to reporters gathered at Parliament.
"I had my youth MP here with me over the past couple of days, and yesterday we sat with her for an hour talking about politics and how despite her and I having contested the election, how close we were together and how we worked for the benefit of our community."
Arena Williams (centre) with Carmel Sepuloni, Peenie Henare and Willie Jackson. Photo: Samuel Rillstone / RNZ
Williams said she first met Kemp in 2011, when Kemp was running a dancing group for youth struggling with school, and said South Auckland would be feeling a "heavy loss" with her passing.
"She was someone who always had an open door for young people."
Sepuloni said there was a "shared grief and sadness" in Parliament, coming not long after the death of South Auckland-based Green MP Efeso Collins.
"It is a loss for us, but it will be even more deeply felt by their whanau and their communities."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
