Māori Party president Tukoroirangi Morgan has confirmed the party has approached ‘high profile’ people to contest the Māori Party candidacy for the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate.
Another source close to the party told Te Kāea award winning singer/songwriter Moana Maniapoto and Ngāti Whātua leader Ngarimu Blair have been asked to run for the Māori Party candidacy in the electorate.
Party president Tukoroirangi Morgan says "Several people have put their hands up, keen on the candidacy. They are high profiled people and quality candidates."
He says "It's difficult for me to say who these people are because those discussions are confidential. But some expressed their interest in the candidacy a while ago."
Meanwhile Waipareira CEO John Tamihere is backing former TVNZ broadcaster Shane Taurima.
When asked whether Taurima had approached him about contesting the Māori Party Tāmaki Makaurau candidacy he said "Shane hasn't yet, if he did, I would support him."
John Tamihere told Te Kāea "At present the Māori Party can't be looking internally at people who don't have the nous or the brains. They are going to have to name people who already have a profile or some status in the community."
Tukoroirangi Morgan says an announcement regarding the Māori Party candidacies will be made by the end of October.