Maori Party victors turn their fire on Labour

By RUTH BERRY

A victorious Maori Party turned on the Government yesterday, suggesting the Prime Minister should show some respect and pointing to threats that Tainui iwi would abandon Labour.

Co-leader Tariana Turia also claimed to have won over the Ratana movement.

She said the significant voter turnout in her support at its home-base in Saturday's byelection revealed "we have the support of the morehu" - its supporters.

The warnings came after Mrs Turia's commanding byelection win, during the party's first national hui yesterday.

Between 1500 and 2000 people attended the party's byelection night campaign launch and the hui, held in Wanganui's Memorial Hall.

Mrs Turia polled 10,002 votes as a Labour candidate in Te Tai Hauauru in 2002, but feared the decision of all major political parties to snub the byelection would diminish voter turnout.

Byelection campaign manager Matt McCarten had predicted a 5000-strong vote, but Mrs Turia picked up 6869 and can expect to gain the bulk of the valid 1075 special votes still to be counted.

A third of enrolled voters came to the booths, compared to 58 per cent in 2002.

Labour president Mike Williams yesterday described the byelection as a "profound yawn".

"Two-thirds didn't vote. It's not a revolution."

Labour would put up a strong candidate in the seat next year and expected to regain it, he said.

The comments will further strain the relationship between the two parties, already tense yesterday after Helen Clark suggested she did not need the Maori Party's confidence and supply vote.

Mrs Turia had earlier said her party would probably give the Government confidence and supply, which it now holds by just one vote.

Although views in the Maori Party are divided over the issue, Mrs Turia yesterday said Helen Clark's stance displayed a lack of "respect".

She believed the Prime Minister's "negative" reactions to the party were the result of a grudge over Mrs Turia leaving Labour.

"She should just get over it," she said, adding Labour would have to once it lost the Maori seats - another issue driving its antagonism.

Tainui board co-chairman Tuku Morgan on Saturday told the launch the confederation of Tainui waka iwi planned to throw its weight behind the Maori Party - a gesture Maori Party leaders said was a further sign Labour was losing Maori support.

Co-leader Pita Sharples said Ngati Kahungunu and Te Arawa were also behind the party.

And while Ratana Church's leadership remains split over whether to formally withdraw its support for long-time ally Labour, Mrs Turia's claim that she now has its followers' support will rankle.

Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta, already voting against the foreshore legislation which triggered the birth of the Maori Party, holds the Tainui seat.

Mr Morgan later qualified comments made at the hui to the Herald, saying the confederation of four iwi wanted Ms Mahuta to front up and explain her plans.

There was "huge opposition" to the Government within the iwi and "if she's staying with Labour then we have to decide where to put our support".

Ms Mahuta said last night; "My representation of the Tainui waka under the Labour banner continues."

She welcomed competition as healthy.

Helen Clark's spokesman refused to discuss Tainui and said she was not going to get into a "tit for tat" battle over the comments.


Mrs Turia, who will be sworn in as an MP in two weeks, said a priority for the new party was the development of a written constitution based on the Treaty of Waitangi.

Meanwhile Mr McCarten, the Alliance president, and its secretary Gerard Hehir were both asked to continue to work for the party yesterday.

Mr McCarten said he would have to discuss the matter with the Alliance, which had yet to decide whether to contest the next general election.

The Alliance earlier agreed to allow the pair to help Mrs Turia fight the byelection only.

Election results

Tariana Turia 6869

Dun Mihaka (Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party) 188

Peter Wakeman 80

Tahu Nepia 173

Rusty Kane 33

David Bolton 70

Special votes 1075

Total votes cast 8529