Poll shows strong challenge to Labour in Maori seats

The Maori Party is running neck and neck with Labour in the Maori seats, according to the most comprehensive survey of Maori voting intentions for the election so far.

A Marae-DigiPoll survey of 1100 voters in the seven Maori seats found both parties picking up around 42.7 per cent of the vote.

But Labour is ahead 48 per cent to 33 per cent when the voting intentions of Maori on the general roll are added.

It is impossible to translate the poll into seats because the Maori Party's seats will depend on its vote across the whole country.

But it is possible to estimate.

Based on the number of party votes cast from the Maori roll last election, the Maori Party could get at least three MPs.

The poll has its leader, Tariana Turia, as the most effective Maori MP in Parliament, rating 23.1 per cent support, ahead of Tamaki Makaurau MP John Tamihere and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters (both on 14 per cent).

The poll - to be released on TVOne's Marae at 11am today - will provide the first glimpse of whether Mr Tamihere, who was censured by Labour this week over his comments in an Investigate interview, has held his support in his seat or been so badly dented that he faces political oblivion.