3 February 2014

Political commentator: “This is the final Waitangi Day for the Maori Party”

Ngapuhi political commentator David Rankin has spoken out ahead of Waitangi Day, saying that this is the final Waitangi Day for the Maori Party in Parliament.

Mr Rankin, who was the first commentator to pick Hone Harawira’s exit from the Maori Party, now says that the Maori Party’s days in Parliament are numbered.

“I have it on good authority from senior people in the Maori Party’s administration that they are rapidly losing members, that their finances are desperate, and most importantly, that their internal polling is showing them losing their remaining seats to Labour in the next General Election,” says Mr Rankin.

“Privately, the Maori Party have already written off any chance of holding Te Tai Hauauru[currently Tariana Turia’s seat],” says Mr Rankin, “and acknowledge that the Party’s new leader, Te Ururoa Flavell, is losing support to the Mana Party in his seat of Waiarki, paving the way for Labour to win all the Maori seats except for Te Tai Tokerau, which is presently held by Hone Harawira.”

Mr Rankin says the Maori Party has struggled to attract any quality candidates, and is failing to gains support from younger Maori in particular, while the Party’s association with National has left it looking to some as though its MPs have compromised their principles for the “baubles of office.”

ENDS

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