Abstract
On election night 2020, voters watched as a so-called red wave of support for Labour swept across many safe National seats (RNZ 2020). The final election result led to the first single-party majority government since the introduction of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996-a feat very few predicted in the leadup to the election (1News 2020). While the election night coverage focussed on the historic Labour victory, Māori Party candidate for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, celebrated his fortieth birthday, joining in a televised rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ with musician Rob Ruha. It was a birthday Waititi will