Political commentators are urging candidates to cut to the chase to win over Waiariki voters.
Maori Television hosted three leading candidates: Labour party’s Tamati Coffey, Māori party’s Rawiri Waititi and Vision New Zealand leader Hannah Tamaki in a debate tonight.
Political commentators Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paul Stanley and Te Arawa FM broadcaster Norm Rahiri said they wanted more clarification on the candidates' stances over treaty issues and cross-claims.
Rahiri said, “What’s going to be done about the overlapping claims between Tauranga Moana and Hauraki. Nothing has been resolved and is it going to be resolved in three years’ time?”
“What we need to do is get around the table and that’s why I bringing my Labour Māori caucus together, but one top of that we need to support what they want which is a tikanga-based process,” Coffey said.
“Treaty reform is the only way you’re going to do that. The clauses that have cross-claims need to be removed. Māori know where their boundaries are. Waiho ma ngā Māori e kōrero,” Waititi said.
“I think there has been a disadvantage along the way by adding all these different rules. Māori should be able to get with the caucus, the Māori representation and just talk to them,” Tamaki said.
In their opening statements, Coffey made it clear he was after both the party vote and the candidate vote and reminded voters of the $2 billion of direct investment into whānau, schools, hospitals a jobs, the Labour-led coalition had made. Waititi asked voters for the candidate vote and crusaded for the return of the Māori Party to Parliament. Tamaki said she was focused on those voters who were undecided.
The Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill discussion raised issues around mental health. Stanley said drugs were a symptom and not a problem. He was pleased all three candidates had a focus on mental health issues for this bill.
When the poll results were revealed for the candidate vote, Stanley spoke about his knowledge on the ground in Tauranga Moana, “Vision New Zealand is attracting some good support in poor neighbourhoods, If Hannah were to take some of these neighbourhoods it would collapse Tamati’s votes. My knowledge on the street in terms of Tauranga Moana is it’s Rawiri and closely followed by Tamati.”
The panel were divided on the performance tonight. Click on the video for more commentary.