17 Facts About Soraya Peke-Mason

Soraya Peke-Mason was a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party from 2022 to 2023.

Soraya Peke-Mason has ancestry that can be traced back to the early 1800s in Rangitikei.

Soraya Peke-Mason attended Castlecliff Primary, Rutherford Intermediate, and Whanganui High School.

Soraya Peke-Mason is self-employed and with a business background in the construction, tourism, forestry and honey industries.

Soraya Peke-Mason has been a justice of the peace for over 30 years and has a master's degree in business administration from Massey University.

From 2001 to 2007 Soraya Peke-Mason was a member of the Ratana Community Board.

Soraya Peke-Mason was a member of the Rangitikei District Council for 12 years.

Soraya Peke-Mason became the council's first Maori woman councillor at the 2007 New Zealand local elections, being elected as councillor for the newly created Turakina ward.

Soraya Peke-Mason 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, Soraya Peke-Mason stood unsuccessfully for a spot on the Horizons Regional Council.

In 2019 Soraya Peke-Mason was chair of the Ngati Rangi post-settlement entity, Te Totarahoe o Paerangi.

In March 2020 Soraya Peke-Mason was selected as the Labour candidate for the Rangitikei electorate.

Soraya Peke-Mason was unopposed for the nomination after Heather Warren, Labour's candidate from 2017, withdrew.

Soraya Peke-Mason was unsuccessful in the Rangitikei seat, but entered Parliament off the Labour list when Trevor Mallard resigned.

Soraya Peke-Mason was sworn in on 25 October 2022, when, for the first time in history, women held a majority of seats in Parliament.

Soraya Peke-Mason was defeated by the candidate for Te Pati Maori, list MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, by a margin of 9,162 votes.

Soraya Peke-Mason's cousin is former Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Adrian Rurawhe.