Maori Party picks Sharples to fight for Tamihere's seat

By HELEN TUNNAH

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples will take on Cabinet minister John Tamihere if there is a byelection in the Auckland seat of Tamaki Makaurau.

Dr Sharples was selected as the party's candidate yesterday.

Mr Tamihere has stepped down from his Cabinet roles while a Queen's Counsel conducts an inquiry into his financial affairs.

He has been accused of accepting a $195,000 golden handshake from the Waipareira Trust after being elected in 1999 and after saying he would not take an exit payment.

Prime Minister Helen Clark did not know he took the money until the allegations were made public 10 days ago.

No tax was paid on the handshake amount, but the trust has now accepted responsibility for that - pushing the actual value of the payment to over $300,000.

Mr Tamihere at the weekend referred to the payment as "koha" which he was obliged to take.

Questions have also been raised about eight invoices totalling $100,000 which were approved by Mr Tamihere while he was still chief executive and by the trust's chief financial officer at the time, Mike Tolich.


Douglas White, QC, has been given until late next month to report to Helen Clark about the allegations, amid speculation that Mr Tamihere will lose his Cabinet job and may be forced to resign from Parliament altogether.

He would face a difficult battle with Dr Sharples to retain Tamaki Makaurau.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said her party was ready for a byelection, but it seemed Labour was doing everything it could to avoid one.

She dismissed accusations from within Labour that the Maori Party was behind the accusations being thrown at Mr Tamihere, saying allegations had swirled around Waipareira for years.