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Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Opinion: Election fever heats up with first TV debate

Kelly Makiha
By Kelly Makiha
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
16 Jul, 2017 03:00 PM3 mins to read

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Politics is heating up. Do you know who you will vote for yet? Photo/file

Politics is heating up. Do you know who you will vote for yet? Photo/file

Love or hate politics, there's no escaping it for the next few months as we head towards another general election.

At the weekend, you could sense the political news heating up.

Firstly there was the first televised debate of the head-to-head battle for the Waiariki seat on TV One's Marae programme between 12-year incumbent and Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell and Labour hopeful Tamati Coffey.

Read more: Sector tension over new Rotorua Maori charter school
Waiariki candidates debate issues on TV

Among other things, they offered their solutions to Rotorua's homelessness, where Flavell, I suspect accidentally, said he had "no idea" why Rotorua's homelessness was so bad. He recovered well though, showing his political experience as he rattled off solutions, explanations and ways the Government is helping.

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Coffey is adamant the Waiariki seat will be his given he hopes to have support from Mana Party voters, who are among those against changes to Te Ture Whenua Act, which Flavell is pushing.

It'll be one of the most watched seats in this year's election, with it being the only electorate seat held by the Maori Party - a strong coalition partner of National's.

While Flavell had a majority of nearly 4000 votes last election, if you look at the statistics there's no reason it can't be Labour's again.

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Labour's Mita Ririnui held the seat until 2005 and the party has won the electorate party vote in every election since the seat was established. It just seems the voters like the party, but don't like their local candidates. Will this year be different?

Yesterday's political news got juicier with the bombshell from Greens co-leader
Metiria Turei that she had in the past lied to authorities to keep her benefit. It appears a strategic move to bring attention to her party's plans to dramatically reform New Zealand's welfare system.

A few hours later, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters made headlines with a new policy to scrap Maori seats and reduce MPs.

For political buffs, it's all very exciting. For those couldn't care less, they are "eye rolling" like mad and calling them all a bunch of you-know-whats.

Whether you are in the love or hate camp when it comes to politics, there's one request I have for those planning to vote on September 23.

Don't do it just because you're being told to.

Get involved, read the papers, read the news websites and take an interest in those wanting to run our country. Work out who you like and who rubs you up the wrong way.

An uninformed voter is more frustrating than those who don't vote at all.

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