Te Atatu

A clash between two controversial political veterans has fired interest in the contest for the West Auckland seat of Te Atatu.

Two-term Labour MP Chris Carter, who won last time by 9262 votes, seems invincible. But he is taking nothing for granted and boundary changes also mean there is fresh ground to cover.

Carter's efforts to help his Prime Minister in the Dover Samuels affair two years ago and recently in the Paintergate scandal may lose him some votes to National's Tau Henare.

Henare, 41, twice won Northern Maori/Te Tai Tokerau for NZ First against Labour. He was Minister of Maori Affairs in the National-led coalition Government of 1996-99. He lost the seat in 1999 after forming the Mauri Pacific party.

Te Atatu is highly sensitive to the effects of Government polices.

While some of its sprawling suburbs hold pockets of middle-income families, its residents fare poorly in the nation's economic and education stakes.

While Carter and Henare provide a battle of personalities and styles, candidates for six other parties are chasing party votes.

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