September 21, 2014
Maori seats ray of sunshine in Labour gloom
Winning back all but one of the Maori seats on Saturday was one of the few rays of light for the Labour Party in what was its worst election result since 1922.
Kelvin Davis’s win in Te Tai Tokerau spelt an end to incumbent Hone Harawira’s dream of carrying in extra MPs under the Internet Mana banner.
Mr Davis says funder Kim Dotcom became Mr Harawira’s Achilles heel, with Maori voters wary of the alliance with the German internet mogul.
"Dotcom wasn't his only issue. We ran a really strong campaign, a smart campaign, and we won it on our own merits in the end. Dotcom helped, but he was just one factor in the whole campaign that we ran," he says.
Hone Harawira has refused to concede to Mr Davis, despite being just over 1100 votes behind on election night.
Labour also picked up the seats of retiring Maori Party MPs Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples.
Adrian Rurawhe, who used to work for Mrs Turia, beat his successor in the job, Chris McKenzie, by 1450 votes.
Mr McKenzie’s chance of eking out a win was not helped by the 2500 votes that went to the Green’s Jack McDonald and the 1500 picked by last-minute Mana candidate Jordan Winiata.
In Tamaki Makaurau, Rangi McLean’s hopes of being the first 21st century MP with a moko were quenched by Peeni Henare’s 1453-vote victory, with the Greens and Mana candidates also performing strongly.
Mr Henare says he’s not taking the win lightly.
"Still just over half didn't vote, and obviously I won by a margin of just over 1000so there a justg as many who didn't vote for me, and I have got to work out how I can engage those people and get some unity on some kaupapa," he says.
Peeni Henare says Tamaki Makaurau is a very young electorate, and he will try to win more opportunities for young Maori through education and employment.
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