Polls divided on Tamihere fightback

Two polls in the pivotal Tamaki Makaurau electorate held by maverick Labour MP John Tamihere have returned widely different results.

A Marae-DigiPoll survey out today is expected to show Mr Tamihere close behind Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples.

Dr Sharples was well ahead in an April poll. Today's survey, with Mr Tamihere trailing by just a few points, is likely to give the MP and his team a lift. But this result conflicts with a Maori Television-TNS poll last night which showed Dr Sharples ahead by 38 points.

Mr Tamihere holds the Auckland-based electorate with a 9444 majority. But his popularity dived after he took a leading role defending the foreshore and seabed legislation.

The MP was also embroiled in two controversies which attracted damaging headlines. Mr Tamihere stepped down from Cabinet last year after allegations of misspending as Waipareira Trust chief executive and he fell out with the Labour caucus after he criticised many of them in an interview for Investigate magazine.

A Marae-DigiPoll survey conducted in the midst of the magazine furore in April, showed Dr Sharples leading the contest by 36 points. The sample size was about 100 compared with about 400 for today's poll.

The Maori TV poll was of 320.

Labour is confident it has begun to dent the Maori Party's momentum in the seven Maori electorates.

A DigiPoll survey last week showed that Maori Party candidate Hone Harawira's lead over Labour MP Dover Samuels had almost halved but mainly because of the rise in support for independent Mere Mangu.Poll watch: The DigiPoll Tamaki-Makaurau survey, Marae, Television One, 10am today. The Maori Television-TNS poll, on Te Kaea 7.30 pm from Monday next week.