KEY POINTS:
Labour has ramped up its bid to woo the Maori Party with leader Helen Clark opening the door to its MPs holding ministerial roles in a future government.
The Maori Party, which could hold the balance of power after the election, is yet to commit to supporting either Labour or National, but has said entrenching the Maori seats will be a bottom line in any negotiations.
Miss Clark has already moved Labour's position from supporting the status quo to supporting entrenchment in a bid to court the party and today she went a step further, saying she was open to Maori Party MPs holding ministerial roles.
"Of course, because I take the view if parties are coming into a group which will provide confidence and supply for a majority in Parliament then there is every right for those parties to be talking to the major party," she told reporters.
"We go into this with a completely open mind about what works best."
But she would not be drawn on whether the Maori affairs portfolio would be one of those up for grabs.
"I think these are things to be discussed after the election. I have great confidence in Parekura Horomia.
"Let's talk about who gets what after the election."
Miss Clark yesterday talked up Labour's chances of working with the Maori Party after National leader John Key admitted entrenching the Maori seats would be "diametrically opposite" to his party's policy.
Entrenching means changing electoral law so a 75 per cent majority vote in Parliament would be needed to abolish the seats.
Getting rid of the seats is a National policy, but Mr Key is refusing to rule out supporting entrenchment - leaving the door open for a deal with the Maori Party.
Miss Clark said the turf war between the Maori Party and Labour in the Maori seats would not affect post-election talks.
She was confident Labour could retain the three Maori seats it holds.
- NZPA
