"Congratulations to Meka on her win. I wish her the best of luck representing the people of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti," said Green Party Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate Marama Davidson.
"I am proud that I have been able to achieve the best ever electoral result in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti for the Green Party.
"It has been a hard fought by-election. I want to thank everyone who voted for me who put their trust and faith in me. It is an honour to have received your support.
"Thank you also to all of my campaign supporters, volunteers and whanau who have helped out with this campaign. I appreciate your time and dedication.
"I also want to thank Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei for her commitment to the campaign. It has been great to have had her with me for so much of this journey. Her knowledge and support has been invaluable.
"I have loved getting around the rohe and meeting the fabulous people of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti. It has been a blast and I believe that the Green Party leaves this by-election stronger and more connected in this community.
"There are big issues that face Maori in the electorate. Jobs, housing and education are three areas where the Government needs to do more to support our people," said Ms Davidson.
"Marama has been a brilliant candidate and she did a great job. Her campaign was a big success," said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.
"Marama received more than 11 percent of the vote. That is better than the 9.36 percent party vote we received in the electorate in 2011 and more than the 5.55 percent we received last time we stood a candidate in the electorate in 2005.
"The feedback from people on the ground is that she performed well and was a star in the debates.
"This by-election has been a great experience for Marama, and I am sure she will join me in parliament sooner rather than later.
"The Green Party entered this race to win it. We didn't achieve that result tonight, but we now have a great base of support in the electorate and have significantly raised our profile.
"We have raised our profile with voters, increased the number of volunteers we have, and grew our vote.
"This result shows that the Maori Party is a weakened force in the Maori electorates. Maori voters are looking for different representation, and the Green Party is a real choice for those wanting a fresh start," said Mrs Turei.
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