The future Maori Party leaders
January 15th, 2013 at 9:00 am by David FarrarKate Chapman at Stuff reports:
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia’s successor may be identified at the annual Ratana Church celebrations this month.
MP Te Ururoa Flavell says he will be “comfortable” taking over the leadership after Turia announced in December that she would stand down at the 2014 election to spend more time with family, including the granddaughter she and husband, George, raise.
Her announcement leaves the party at a crossroads as it struggles to retain support.
Press secretary Kaapua Smith-Purkis and former MP Rahui Katene have been touted as potential leadership replacements, but neither has strong links to Turia’s Te Tai Hauauru electorate.
It will be interesting is those two are the candidates, as Smith-Purkis blogged in late 2011:
The Maori Party have been reduced by one, losing a fierce and staunch representative in Te Tai Tonga – Rahui Katene. As a perpetual student of politics, I see her as one of the most hard working MP’s in parliament, and arguably the best representative that Te Tai Tonga has had in my generation.
The other issue of interest is how they transition from Sharples to Flavell.
Related posts:
- Maori Party
- Maori Party schism looks likely
- Will the Maori Party co-leaders stay on?
- Maori Party leadership
January 15th, 2013 at 9:12 am
I was reminded of this story.
Vote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/18/democrats-diversity-drought/
January 15th, 2013 at 9:32 am
Fixed.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 9:38 am
I read Michael Kings “history of NZ” over the break. A better read than I expected.
I thought he was a believer in the Noble Savage attitude to maori but Ive changed my mind – he recorded the maori history fairly dispassionately – with plenty of praise and criticisms.
The never ending problem for maori (and NZ as a whole ) is the continuing of the tribalism nature of maori culture (and unfortunately the treaty is between the crown and tribes – not maori) . This tribalism has and will hold maori back AND it effects everything that goes on in maoridom.
It will be the ruination of the maori party. Its why Hone buggered off to do his thing. Its why Sharples wont leave until hes pushed (its all about his status in his tribe ) and its why Turia decided not to retire last time around (its all bullshit about her family etc)
Whoever stands for the party will be all about tribal politics. Its interesting to see that the South Island lot aren’t interested – as its all about the tribal leaders group as far as they are concerned – they have the real power – so why waste time on MPs.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 9:40 am
Lets be honest here – The Maori Party is history after 2014.
There worst case scenario is no seats – Sykes beats Flavell.
There best case scenario is Flavell holding his seat.
What have they achieved for Maori? Nothing. Maori are now poorer and non-Maori are slightly less poor.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 10:12 am
Much depends on how strong and resilient Labour and Mana branches within the current Maori Party electorates. And how much of Tariana Turia’s vote was based on her residual mana over her resistance to the Clark administration’s seabed and foreshore legislation. If her personal mana determined her electorate support, then Labour may retake the seat. I tend to agree with the possibility that Annette Sykes may unseat Flavell. And Sharples hasn’t said whether and when he’ll retire yet.
The Nats had better hope and pray that the Maori Party do make it. They’re probably the most viable Nat coalition partners, given that ACT and United Future are such marginal electorates. Only three and a half thousand seperate both parties from electoral oblivion.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 10:23 am
The racist Maori Party is the Titanic of political parties, and on its way to oblivion after the 2014 election.
Vote:NZ will be better off by its disappearance.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:45 am
I would bet a sizeable amount that 2014 will see the end of the Maori Party, ACT and United Future.
Who is less credible – Banks, Dunne or Sharples?
I see ACT has been polling at 0.0% for some months.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 11:16 am
Rahui Katene is “feirce and staunch” ? It must have been someone else who sat beside me in the House reading her speeches word for word. The only time I saw her remotely energised was when she was anxious because the speech hadnt been delivered to her (someone else wrote them) and her call was coming up.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 11:44 am
Having a male and a female co leader is sexist
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
I was reminded of this story.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/meet-the-press/50448320#50448320
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 12:41 pm
I was reminded of this story too.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 12:52 pm
The Maori party are in terminal decline and will follow Act an United.
The party to watch for the future are the Conservatives who got more votes than all three at the last election.
2011 election results;
Conservatives 2.7%
Vote:Maori 1.4%
Act 1.1%
United 0.6%
January 15th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Act 1.1% ??!!?? I can’t believe you think 1.1% of the population would vote for Act.
I think the Conservatives could get to 4% if they can source a leader with an IQ over 85. You could collect 1.5% of the vote from the conservative Pasifika electorate, 1% ex-Act law and order types, plus a few disgruntled Tory party voters.
Vote:January 15th, 2013 at 4:15 pm
The conservative vote will be wasted again. A vote for ACT on the other hand will get a result. They got a fantastic coalition deal with one MP, imagine what they will get with a few more.
Vote:Just have to convince a few more Nat voters who are sick and tired of John Key’s “do nothing” approach and the National Party’s increasing adoption of socialsim.
January 18th, 2013 at 9:22 am
Except Pita doesn’t seem to want to go…
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:24 am
Does anyone else think that it’s probable Banks will step down after the end of this term and provide Catherine Isaacs with an opportunity to repair the damage his past antics may have done to the ACT party brand?
Vote: