The Maori Party's Tamaki Makaurau candidate Rangi McLean (left) and party leader Te Ururoa Flavell. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Most parties avoid talk about "bottom lines" for fear of sounding too uncompromising.
That's not the case with the Maori Party and leader Te Ururoa Flavell.
"Expanding whanau ora a bottom line for Maori Party" one of its press statements was headed this week.
It was a flagship policy for the Maori Party to establish whanau ora, a holistic approach to providing health and social services to families under stress with the aim of helping them to take control of their lives.
Since 2010, it has worked with 8916 families, with 41,952 individuals.
Mr Flavell said he would like to see more support for whanau ora from the education, justice and housing sectors, not just health and social development.
He said he was not necessarily after the post of Minister of Whanau Ora, held by retiring minister and Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia.
"We definitely want to maintain a watching brief over, by way of a ministerial portfolio, whanau ora, if we are fortunate enough to be in that position."
The Maori Party could hold influence after Saturday's election.
Some polls have had the Maori Party or New Zealand First holding the balance of power - in some cases National could avoid dealing with New Zealand First if it were supported again by the Maori Party, as it has been for six years.
In the case of Labour, some polls have had the party being able to form a government with the support of New Zealand First and the Maori Party.
Mr Flavell is fond of suggesting Labour has made the Maori Party "last cab off the rank", using a Helen Clark phrase from the 2005 election, because Labour leader David Cunliffe has ruled out ministerial posts for the Maori Party.
But that does not mean Labour is not drawing up a confidence and supply proposal for the Maori Party in case its vote is needed by Labour.
Mr Flavell is the frontrunner in his contest with Mana's Annette Sykes in Waiariki and is hopeful of getting at least two more electorate seats, from Chris McKenzie in Te Tai Hauauru, Mrs Turia's old seat, and Tamaki Makaurau, Pita Sharples' old seat.
Mr Flavell spent yesterday morning in Auckland, catching up with Tamaki Makaurau candidate and community worker Rangi McLean. Mr McLean is in a close contest with Labour's Peeni Henare. Maori TV's Reid Research Poll early last week had Mr McLean just ahead on 28 per cent and Mr Henare on 27 per cent, with Internet-Mana's Kereama Pene on 14 per cent and the Greens' Marama Davidson on 7 per cent.
It's understood a NZDF aircraft and multiple helicopters are involved.