Candidate claims TV poll hurt her election chances

Te Tai Tokerau independent candidate Mere Mangu has filed papers against TVNZ, claiming a poll it conducted in the seat and screened over the weekend disadvantaged her election chances.

The papers were filed in the High Court at Auckland yesterday and seek an interim injunction preventing TVNZ from further distributing information about the poll.

Ms Mangu said TVNZ asked voters which party they would vote for and secondly which party candidate they would vote for.

Ms Mangu says as an independent she was disadvantaged by the second question which may have either led voters to consider only candidates standing for parties, or may have led them to believe she was no longer in the race.

TVNZ ran the poll on Saturday night and did not mention Ms Mangu, but it is understood she attracted just 2 per cent support.

In a recent Marae Digipoll, Ms Mangu - the highest polling independent in the 2002 elections - gained 15 per cent support.

Meanwhile, TV3 confirmed it yesterday lodged an appeal against the leaders' debate decision by Justice Ron Young who ordered it to make room for the leaders of United Future and the Progressives.