Maori Party to Challenge for Te Tai Tokerau Seat

The Maori Party is gearing up to win Te Tai Tokerau Maori electoral seat currently held by the Mana Party’s Hone Harawira, according to Rangimarie Naida Glavish, president of the Maori Party.

“Maori voters in the north are becoming increasingly agitated about the proposed use of our seat as a vehicle to gain entry to Parliament for the new Pakeha grouping, the Internet Party, being promoted by Kit Dotcom. Ever since the founding of our party in 2004 our main purpose has been to advance the interests of te iwi Maori. When Hone broke away from our party to form his own Mana movement, we thought he shared our dedication to solving Maori problems. But with his recruitment of left wing Pakeha dissidents, and now his proposed alliance with Kim Dotcom, Maori interests are taking a back seat in Mana activity. We are now in the situation that ours is the only truly Maori Party in Parliament, and we will not stand by and see our own people used as pawns in someone else’s political game, whatever that game may be,” said Ms Glavish, who is also chairperson of the strong Northland iwi, Ngati Whatua.

"Playing footsie with the Internet Party to get Kim Dotcom representation in our Parliament will do nothing for the people in places like Kaikohe or Moerewa, or West Auckland or anywhere else in Te Tai Tokerau. What will help them will be what the newly-elected Maori Party MP for that electorate can do after 20 September to take the lead in implementing the ‘Powerhouse Northland’ plan on which our Party will campaign and win that seat, a plan that includes a range of interesting, challenging and attainable new economic and employment initiatives specifically designed to capitalise on Maori advantages of land ownership and foreshore access in activities in which our people, young and no-so-young, have known skills and abilities."

Ms Glavish said the Maori Party is on track to announce the name of its candidate for Te Tai Tokerau before the end of May.

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