Flagging National tilts at Maori, Asian vote

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

National is pitching for the Maori, Asian and Auckland vote with a candidate list it hopes will lift the party from poll ratings that are becoming perilously low.

At least seven MPs on the new list could lose their jobs if its latest poll result is repeated in the July 27 election.

National fell five points to 27 per cent in last night's One News Colmar Brunton poll - though leader Bill English's personal rating as preferred Prime Minister jumped five points.

But if it manages just a few percentage points more than it did in the last election, when it polled 30.5 per cent, it will bring in new Maori, Asian and Auckland MPs.

It could end up with four Maori MPs - Hekia Parata, Greg White and Tau Henare as well as list MP Georgina te Heuheu; two Asian MPs - Eric Liu and list MP Pansy Wong; and two new Auckland certainties - high-flyers Don Brash, the former Reserve Bank Governor, at No 5, and Allan Peachey, the principal of Rangitoto College, at No 18.

Mr Liu, an Epsom-based businessman, and Mr Henare, a former Maori Affairs minister, are probably at the margins of electability from the list, at slots 34 and 35 respectively.

Their positions are seen as a deliberate ploy to entice Asians and Maori to give their party vote to National.

Mr English was surprised by the drop in his party's support in the poll, which was conducted last week, and believed the public would be surprised, too.

He said a lot of movement in the polls meant a lot of people had not made up their minds.

But the party was not focused on individual polls.

"We've got policy that people support and we're building support for that."

Mr English said the list issued yesterday showed that the party knew it had to change.

The list allowed National to bring in people with experience and reputations in their field, such as Mr Brash, Mr Peachey and environmentalist Guy Salmon.

Four Maori were in winnable positions, he said, the result of his effort to attract the Maori vote.

Mr Liu was also in a strong position, which would give National two Asian MPs.

"We are certainly reaching out to that vote."

Asians make up 6.4 per cent of the population, and almost twice that in Auckland, the 2001 Census shows.

Pansy Wong has moved from Canterbury to stand in Auckland Central.

She said a lot of Asian values and priorities were aligned with centre-right policies, education, economic growth and law and order.

Asians also expected positive immigration policies.

"We are sick and tired of being used by Winston whenever he wants to increase his party's vote," she said, referring to New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

Former party president Sue Wood, of Wellington, and Mr Salmon, from Christchurch, are newcomers who are guaranteed places in Parliament unless the party slips even lower than in last night's poll.

Other new faces are Ian Buchanan at No 29, who was a late replacement in Wairarapa for Koro Mullins, the shearing contractor who pulled out to spend more time with his teenaged son; and Taranaki-based Mr White at No 30.

At present National has 39 MPs. Based on last week's Herald-DigiPoll survey, National on 31.3 per cent support could win 40 seats.

But because the list promotes some new faces, two MPs - Wellington-based Annabel Young and Waitakere-based Marie Hasler - would be casualties.

On the basis of last night's poll, National would be entitled to just 34 MPs. In that case, the casualties could also include Arthur Anae, Eric Roy, Anne Tolley and Belinda Vernon.

Their fate will depend on how many other parties qualify for seats in Parliament and whether MPs ranked higher on the list can win constituency seats.

Asked what Marie Hasler and Annabel Young had done to deserve their low placing, Mr English said the list-ranking procedure involved the party as well as the caucus. He insisted all MPs were in a position to be re-elected. "I'm happy with that."

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