June 07, 2013
Candidates put in the yards for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election
Labour leader David Shearer feels his party’s Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election campaign is on track.
The first formal week of the campaign has been marked by controversy over Mr Shearer’s promise that candidate Meka Whaitiri would terrorise the party’s opposition, and web-based polls indicating strong support for Mana candidate Te Hamua Nikora.
Mr Shearer says in keeping with the standard set by the late Parekura Horomia, Ms Whaitiri is trying to see as many voters as she can before the poll on June 29.
"She’s doing the hard yards. The bottom line is she wants to be the voice for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate, for Ngāti Porou, for Ngāti Kahungunu and everybody else that's living here. She's passionate about it. She's got what it takes and she's working really hard and we're getting in behind her absolutely," he says.
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