The Labour Party has selected education worker Sange Malama as its candidate for the Rangitata electorate for 2026.

Malama said “I’m standing for Labour because I want to be part of a government that will address the pressures building on families and communities.”

“Labour’s focus on jobs, homes, and health will make a difference for people who are living payday to payday, unable to see beyond everyday worries,” she said.

“The people I see in the community want practical policies from their government, like Labour’s three free GP visits. That will make a real difference in households and lift the burden on tertiary health care that comes from delaying treatment because of money worries.

“I’ve connected with people on factory floors, fishing boats, and community halls, as well as working with students and families navigating the education system,” Malama said.

Malama is an Attendance Whānau Ora Navigator for Kōia te Mātauraka, a charitable organisation established by seven Ngāi Tahu papatipu rūnaka to deliver on education aspirations across the Canterbury region. She is also a family liaison and as Pasifika Group Coordinator at a local primary school.

She has held roles as the Pacific Community Connector at Multicultural Aoraki and as part of the Business Development Team at Ara Institute of Learning, and is the director of the Aoraki Moana Festival.

Of Tokelauan and Tongan heritage, Malama was raised in Timaru, where her family were among the first Pasifika families to settle there.