KEY POINTS:
Issues around the process that saw broadcaster Derek Fox selected as a Maori Party candidate are "fixable," the party's president says.
Senior Maori Party figures last night considered a formal challenge to Mr Fox's selection for the Ikaroa Rawhiti seat - from 2005 candidate Atareta Poananga, who announced last month she had broken up with Mr Fox as they both vied for candidacy.
The party announced Mr Fox's selection on Saturday, setting up a repeat clash with Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, who pipped him for the seat in 1999 by 695 votes.
But Ms Poananga, a Gisborne lawyer and district councillor, yesterday said she was unhappy with the process and was challenging it.
Concerns included the scrutineering of votes, the location of hui venues, conflicts of interest regarding returning officers, changes to voting times and the accuracy of the member database, which seemed incomplete.
Party president Whatarangi Winiata said yesterday her complaint was unlikely to succeed as three of the four unsuccessful candidates were happy with the process.
He issued a statement after the meeting saying it had been "very constructive".
"The people told us, `this is fixable'," he said.
Thought would be given to the issues so the party could move forward, he said.
Ms Poananga yesterday said her relationship with Mr Fox was not a factor in the challenge.
Her announcement of the breakup in a radio interview last month surprised many, with Mr Fox understood to be in a long-term relationship with another woman.
In 2005 Ms Poananga reduced Mr Horomia's majority in the seat, which stretches the length of the North Island's east coast, from more than 10,000 to 1932 and the Maori Party considers the seat to be one they can take off Labour this time around.
But Mr Horomia may be assisted in his battle to hang on to the seat after the Government signed a deal with Ngati Porou of the East Cape giving them greater say in the management of the coast line.
Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday said she was confident Mr Horomia could fight off Mr Fox.
Mr Horomia was one of the most effective networkers she knew, he had a big election team behind him and she had complete confidence in him, she said.
- NZPA
