The four leading Tāmaki Makaurau candidates have gone head to head on the Native Affairs – Kōwhiri 14 Māori electorate debate.
Peeni Henare of the Labour Party, Kereama Pene of MANA, Marama Davidson of the Greens and Rangi McLean of the Māori Party joined Mihingarangi Forbes in studio to debate the big issues.
The Māori Television Reid Research Poll results revealed a tight race between the Māori Party candidate, Rangi McLean on 28% and Labour representative, Peeni Henare close behind on 27%.
MANA candidate Kereama Pene is in third place sitting on 14%, while Marama Davidson of the Greens is at 7%.
Labour led the poll for preferred party vote on 37.3%, followed by the Māori Party on 16.8% and coming in at third place was National on 13.1% an Internet MANA was at 12.4%.
63% of voters who participated in the poll said they would want the Māori Party to go into partnership with Labour if the Māori Party held the balance of power.
However given the recent announcement made by Labour leader David Cunliffe saying if he is to lead the new Government his first choice of coalition partners will be with the Greens and NZ First. He also ruled out the Māori Party sitting at their Cabinet table if they should be voted in, so this may make a Labour and Māori Party partnership difficult to achieve.
25% of voters polled said they would prefer the Māori Party go into partnership with National.
Family Violence was highlighted by Tāmaki Makaurau voters as the most important issue to them in this election at 95%. Education was at 94% while 92% highlighted Child Poverty as the major issue in the upcoming election.
The Cost of Living and Te Reo Māori came in at 91% while 88% of participants identified Māori Unemployment as the number one issue for them.
This Wednesday, Hauraki-Waikato candidates will face off in the 6th Native Affairs - Kōwhiri 14 Māori Electorate Debate Special.
The full debate of the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate can be viewed here