A Whakaata Māori poll has Labour well ahead on 31% as the preferred party in the great southern electorate with Te Pāti Māori at 18%, Greens 14%, National 9% and 12% undecided.  

But the polls also revealed that excluding undecided, Labour support in Te Tai Tonga is down 24% since the last election while others are climbing.  Te Pāti Māori support has increased 12% since 2020, Greens 4% higher, with National also rising by 5% and ACT 4%.

The preferred party result is also the best showing for the Greens in the three Māori seats polled to date.

Te Tai Tonga has been held by incumbent MP, Rino Tirikatene, for 12 years.  The family name has been across the seat for76 years.

Tirikatene is the preferred candidate on 36%, followed by Tākuta Ferris for Te Pāti Māorion 25%.  Two other candidates, Geoffrey Karena Fuimaono Puhi, Independent, and Rebecca Robin, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, share 4%.  A total of 18% are undecided.

The poll, conducted by Curia Market Research, was completed last Thursday as a snapshot of voter leanings.  It was released during a live debate between Tirikatene and Ferris, the third of the Māori seat debates on Whakaata Māori.

Cost of Living was the overwhelming issue among poll respondents at 34% followed by health 11% and the economy, 9%.  Across genders, cost of living concerned females more at 40% compared to males 26%.  Both equally rated health and the economy but environment and taxes were ranked higher by males as an issue.

The top contenders for preferred prime minister were Chris Hipkins 30%, followed by Christoper Luxon 10%, Winston Peters 7%, Rawiri Waititi 6% and Marama Davidson 4%. But 31% were still unsure.

Te Tai Tonga is the biggest electorate in the country from Wellington down to the Stewart and Chatham Islands. Twenty general electorates intersect within it, which severely tests the ability of candidates to reach voters.

A total of 500 registered voters in each electorate were polled by Curia Market Research by landline, mobile and online with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 per cent.  

Join WhakaataMāori for WHAKATAU 2023 where we continue to test the pulse of the Māori electorates on air and online, MĀORI+ and teaonews.co.nz.

DEBATE #4 – HAURAKI-WAIKATO –7PM, TUES OCT 03

DEBATE #5 - TE TAI TOKERAU - 7PM,THURS OCT 05

DEBATE #6 - WAIARIKI – 7PM,MON, OCT 9

DEBATE #7 - TĀMAKI MAKAURAU –7PM, TUES OCT 10

ELECTION NIGHT LIVE – 7PM ONWARDS, SATURDAY OCTOBER 14

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