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TE TAI HAUĀURU UP FOR GRABS IN WHAKAATA MĀORI ELECTION POLL

TE TAI HAUĀURU UP FOR GRABS IN WHAKAATA MĀORI ELECTION POLL

Labour’s grip on the Māori electorates is under siege with a neck and neck race emerging in Te Tai Hauāuru.

A Whakaata Māori exclusive poll has revealed there is only a five-point difference between Labour’s Soraya Peke-Mason and Te Pāti Māori co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

The poll, conducted by Curia Market Research, was completed last week and shows Peke-Mason at 34% with Ngarewa-Packer in close pursuit on 29%.

The field was flung open when incumbent Labour MP and Speaker of the House, Adrian Rurawhe, opted to go list-only.

Four wāhine are now vying for the crown of the western electorate, including National’s Harete Hipango – the first National candidate to stand in a Māori seat in more than two decades.

Hipango’s arrival has captured 12% of the candidate vote in Te Tai Hauāuru and with 16% of voters still undecided, could be a fatal bite for the two main leads.  Paris Winiata of Vision NZ is yet to make the leaderboard.

Whakaata Māori released the poll at the launch of its first live debate of the seven Māori seats from its newly opened studio, Hawaikirangi, on site in East Tāmaki.  

The battle for Te Tai Hauāuru isn’t a final curtain call for Labour yet, who led the party vote at 34% followed by Te Pāti Māori on 22%, National 13%, NZ First 7% and the Greens on 6%.

Chris Hipkins was the preferred prime minister on 32%, Winston Peters 12% and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer on 7% - ahead of Christopher Luxon on 6%.

Cost of Living is the single biggest issue for voters in Te Tai Hauāuru at 27%, well ahead of the economy 9%, housing 8% taxes and health both on 7%.

Among voters under the age of 40, however, honouring the Te Tiriti o Waitangi hits the leaderboard at 11% after Cost of Living and taxes.

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

Te Tai Hauāuru median response was collected on Wednesday 13 September 2020.

More Whakaata Māori polling will be released on Thursday for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti – another potential hot seat following the defection in May of former Labour cabinet minister, Meka Whaitiri, to Te Pāti Māori.

Whaitiri goes head-to-head with Labour hope, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, in the live Māori seat debate at 7pm.

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

DEBATE #2 - IKAROA RĀWHITI – THURS SEP 21

DEBATE #3 - TE TAI TONGA – TUES SEP 26

DEBATE #4 - WAIARIKI – THURS SEP 28

DEBATE #5 – HAURAKI-WAIKATO – TUES OCT 03

DEBATE #6 - TE TAI TOKERAU - THURS OCT 05

DEBATE #7 - TĀMAKI MAKAURAU – TUES OCT 10

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