Mates face off for new Hauraki seat

By Richard Knight,br>
Maori issues reporter

The loyalties of urban Maori in the South Auckland area will be put to the test at this year's general election.

Close friends Willie Jackson and John Tamihere, both urban Maori high-flyers, are set to face off against each other for the new Maori electorate of Hauraki.

The Labour Party confirmed Mr Tamihere as its candidate on Sunday after months of selection wrangles.

Mr Jackson, a Mana Motuhake member who will stand for the Alliance, said that while he congratulated Mr Tamihere and felt he deserved the selection, he was saddened over the chance lost to maximise the urban vote.

"It would have been better to spread the urban Maori vote across key Maori electorates.

"Unfortunately, we are subject to the lines that are drawn by our respective parties, and those party lines continue to be divisive of Maori interests."

A Maori health researcher, Aucklander Paul Stanley, said Mr Jackson and Mr Tamihere (from the West) were two talented individuals with different styles who would indeed test urban Maori loyalties.

"Willie Jackson has got a bit of a bolshie style - the go-hard, take-no-prisoners and got-nothing-to-lose style - while Tamihere appeals to the conservative Maori. He, along with Jackson, has huge appeal among the young Maori.

"There's also the issue of West [Tamihere] versus South [Jackson]. There's always been competition among West Auckland and South Auckland Maori.

"Maori vote for the person, not policies. It's going to be great to sit back and watch the developments."

The Hauraki seat stretches from Mt Albert to the Coromandel Peninsula and includes Waihi Beach, Morrinsville and Matamata.

The seat could be seen as a 50-50 split between urban and rural Maori and cuts across part of the power base of the Mauri Pacific MP for Te Tai Hauauru, Tukoroirangi Morgan.

A young urban Maori, Kay Davis, who works in South Auckland and is on the Maori roll, said the contenders give Maori an option of excellence.

"Willie Jackson comes from a family line who have a history of pushing for Maori rights.

"John Tamihere has built his reputation and is a Maori high-flyer. Politics has moved into the lounge for a lot of Maori because that's where they are talking about it now."

Mr Tamihere has a media profile because of his leadership of West Auckland's Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust. Nationally he is Labour's strongest prospect in the Maori seats.