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A Maori Party candidate says her relationship with media industry stalwart Derek Fox ended because they are competing for the same nomination. But that will be news to his current partner.
Broadcaster Willie Jackson interviewed Atareta Poananga on his radio programme Paakiwaha yesterday and asked her to confirm the nature of their relationship.
"I guess you could say that I've been with Derek for 12 years and I would regard him as my hoa rangatira [partner] and also I'm his hoa rangatira."
Mr Jackson said: "I see. So you've been partners for 12 years. A-ha right. Are ya still partners?"
"Umm, probably not at this point."
The split was caused by their rivalry over the Ikaroa-Rawhiti nomination, she said. "It was a very difficult decision we had to make because one of us probably needed to step aside because both of us are not going to get elected - only one of us can, and yet we're both striving for the same goal. It's very hard to do that in that situation."
While the split was "not especially" amicable at first, she wasn't shutting the door on getting back together with Mr Fox. "We hope that this can be resolved at some point in time, because there are things that are greater than politics I suppose and that's love."
Ms Poananga said they broke up in January at Auckland Anniversary weekend but it would have come as a surprise to Jaewynn McKay, who has been in a relationship with Mr Fox for the past seven years.
It is understood the Te Puni Kokiri communications director listened to the interview.
However, she did not want to comment.
Mr Fox and Ms McKay are often at political gatherings and it is no secret they have been in a long-term relationship.
Asked if Ms Poananga's statements were true, Mr Fox said he wasn't going to "bag anyone".
