KEY POINTS:
As the 2008 election campaign begins in earnest, the Herald assesses the Maori Party after its first term in Parliament and talks to its co-leader and former Government minister Tariana Turia.
Performance rating this term: 7/10
Difficult to make major changes from the cross-benches, but has
used its first term well. Understands its target constituency intimately and has evolved to be of wide relevance to its people, rather than a one-issue party associated only with the Treaty and seabed and foreshore issues from which it was initially forged.
Assets and liabilities:
As the party itself would say, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. Its people, and in particular its co-leaders, are the party's strongest force.
Pita Sharples is a powerful salesman for the party and has done much to quell the suspicion of the Maori Party within the wider population.
Tariana Turia's experience and shrewd leadership has ensured the party has not tried to run before it could walk and built strong relationships with most other parties in Parliament. The lack of experience of the other MPs could be problematic if they gain more responsibility.
Successes and failures:
The party has maintained strong discipline, defying its critics' predictions of an implosion. However, it is yet to face any real pressure and the restraints imposed by a post-election deal could see chinks emerging.
Its effort to repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act with a private member's bill failed at the first hurdle but allowed the party to say it had tried.
Gained some concessions - including the inclusion of the Treaty of Waitangi into the new school curriculum and working with iwi to get a Government backdown on the sale of Landcorp lands that could be used in Treaty settlements.
Policies to watch for:
A mix of constitutional policies and "whanau ora" social policies targeted at the health and wellbeing of families.
On the constitutional side, the party wants a review and the Maori seats entrenched - a policy that could well be a bottom line.
It also wants the Treaty of Waitangi included in more legislation.
Social policies are aimed at eliminating child poverty by 2020 - including no tax on the first $25,000, removing GST on food and increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. It also wants business tax lowered to 25 per cent for small businesses to help small Maori enterprises grow.
What it needs to do:
Explain, and explain again, why it is keeping the option of a deal with National open. Many Maori voters still give their party vote to Labour and will be wary if they think the Maori Party is willing to cut a deal with National. The party's MPs have strong powers of persuasion. But in the campaign, it will be up against other parties using the "a vote for the Maori Party is a vote for National" line to poach Maori votes.
Could struggle to get its message out far enough to increase its party vote - it has a very limited budget and relies on face-to-face contact. Its meagre resources are behind the decision not to stand in general electorates, depriving them of a broader campaign platform.