in the Sixth Labour Government with the portfolios for Local Government and Maori Development. She also served as associate ministers for the trade and export growth, the environment and housing portfolios. In September 2019, Mahuta delivered a tearful and emotional speech as Parliament officially apologised for a police raid in 1916 on Māori leader Rua Kenana's Iharaira faith's compound in Maungapohatu in the North Island's Bay of Plenty Region. During the 2020 general election, Mahuta retained her electorate seat of Hauraki-Waikato, defeating the Māori Party's Donna Pokere-Phillips by a final margin of 9,660 votes. In October 2022, Mahuta became the Mother of the House, having served continuously in the House of Representatives since the 1996 general election. Following a cabinet reshuffle that occurred on 31 January 2023, Mahuta lost her Local Government portfolio but retained her foreign affairs portfolio. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stated that the change was intended to allow Mahuta to focus on her foreign affairs portfolio and travel overseas. He also denied that it was motivated by the response to the controversial Three Waters reform programme and confirmed that the Government would continue with the programme. Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2020–present 2020 Mahuta was announced as the next Minister of Foreign Affairs on 2 November 2020. She received international recognition as the first woman (and first Māori woman) to hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio. In addition, she retained her portfolio of Minister for Local Government while becoming Associate Minister of Māori Development. On 3 November, former Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Māori Council criticised the international media's description of Mahuta as a "tattooed Māori woman" for focusing on her physical appearance and race. On 4 November, right-wing blogger and author Olivia Pierson drew criticism and media coverage for posting a tweet stating that "Facial tattoos, especially on a female diplomat, is the height of ugly, uncivilised wokedom." In response, Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon criticised Pierson's actions and said that "Mahuta's kauae moko was special to Māori and should be celebrated." Mahuta declined to comment on the issue. Following criticism of Pierson's post on social media, online retailer Mighty Ape delisted Pierson's book Western Values Defended: A Primer. Pierson described the delisting of her book as "cancel culture" and claimed she had received death threats. On 18 November, Mahuta joined her Australian, Canadian, British and American counterparts in condemning the disqualification of pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators