Soraya Peke-Mason

Soraya Waiata Peke-Mason (born 1957 or 1958) is a New Zealand politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party from 2022 to 2023.

Early life and career Peke-Mason was born in Tokoroa and grew up in Castlecliff. She has ancestry that can be traced back to the early 1800s in Rangitīkei.

She attended Castlecliff Primary, Rutherford Intermediate, and Whanganui High School. She is self-employed and with a business background in the construction, tourism, forestry and honey industries. She lives in Rātana, and has tribal affiliations to Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Tainui. She represented Turakina around the council table for the ward's entire existence, with the ward being abolished ahead of the 2019 local elections. That year, Peke-Mason stood unsuccessfully for a spot on the Horizons Regional Council.

Te Tōtarahoe o Paerangi In 2019 Peke-Mason was chair of the Ngāti Rangi post-settlement entity, Te Tōtarahoe o Paerangi.

Member of Parliament

In the she stood as the Labour candidate in the electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru. She came second to Tariana Turia.

In March 2020 Peke-Mason was selected as the Labour candidate for the electorate. She was unopposed for the nomination after Heather Warren, Labour's candidate from 2017, withdrew. Upon her swearing-in on 25 October 2022, women held a majority of seats in Parliament for the first time.

During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Peke-Mason stood as the Labour candidate in the Māori electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru. She was defeated by the candidate for Te Pāti Māori, list MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, by a margin of 9,162 votes.

Personal life She is a member of the Ratana Church. Her cousin is former Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Adrian Rurawhe.