Taurima standing for Maori Party

The Herald reports:

Former broadcaster Shane Taurima has been selected as the Maori Party’s candidate in Tamaki Makaurau.

Taurima is an advisor in Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell’s office and was selected as candidate by the local electorate committee and party members over the weekend.

His candidacy is yet to be confirmed by the Maori Party’s National Council and Taurima would not comment until that happened.

The Maori Party had been in talks with Willie Jackson to stand in the seat, but Jackson then decided to stand for Labour instead, saying it was partly because he did not believe he had support from Flavell.

Taurima had hoped to stand for Labour in the electorate in 2014, but blotted his copybook after he was found to have used TVNZ resources for Labour Party purposes, including hosting meetings on TVNZ property.

So Taurima has defected from Labour to the Maori Party and Willie Jackson from the Maori Party to Labour.

Henare won the seat with a majority of 1462 votes over Maori Party candidate Rangi McLean. The Mana Party candidate Kereama Pene got 2624 votes in that election.

Taurima will be hoping the electorate deal between the Maori Party and Mana Party will help him win the seat back.

It could be a very close race. Henare seems to be one of the more useful Labour MPs so he may hold on.