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Labour’s Maori affairs spokesperson believes the party will hold onto the Ikaroa Rawhiti seat left vacant by the death of Parekura Horomia.
Early voting has stated in advance of the June 29 by-election.
Shane Jones says Labour candidate Meka Whaitiri has the smarts and the experience to be a good MP, but the electorate still needs to get to know her.
He says support for young families is a critical issue.
"This is a very young group of people, I think the median age is 26, so the challenges of young mothers, absent fathers, the need for provision of assistance to go on further to post-secondary education, continued support for kohanga, the affordability of getting kids away into local preschool care so the mums can rejoin the workforce," Mr Jones says.
He says the Government has largely abandoned Ikaroa Rawhiti, and it is doing nothing to encourage jobs and growth.
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