Hauiti (right) with Prime Minister John Key Claudette Hauiti will be sworn in tomorrow, becoming the National Party’s first openly-lesbian MP. The Auckland mother of three was the producer of the acclaimed glbti Maori TV show Takataapui. Hauiti has shied away from media attention since it was announced she would replace disgraced MP Aaron Gilmore, and has not returned calls from GayNZ.com Daily News. Her entry into Parliament will give National an openly gay companion MP to Attorney General Chris Finlayson. National has historically had a paucity of openly gay MPs in its ranks, with only Marilyn Waring, who was outed after being elected, preceding Finlayson and Hauiti. Hauiti's office is ready The total number of openly glbti MPs will now be seven again following Labour MP Charles Chauvel's resignation from Parliament in February to work for the United Nations. The full list of openly glbti MPs will be Christopher Finlayson and Claudette Hauiti (National), Grant Robertson, Maryan Street and Louisa Wall (Labour) and Kevin Hague and Jan Logie (Greens).
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 28th May 2013 - 5:07pm