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June 28, 2013
Party machines make final push in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
Waatea Team
Posted On June 28, 2013
Māori Party leader Pita Sharples says it would be a tough task to topple the Labour machine in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.
Dr Sharples has spent much of the past two weeks in the electorate campaigning for candidate Na Raihania.
He says talking to people on the ground, he can see why it was that Labour’s vote went up in the Māori seats at the last election.
"So Māori's are more conservative, they follow their political parties like a religion as opposed to looking at the policies and making decisions based on a local time and events and policies. So it is going to be quite hard, we're facing the Labour machine of course, they've got hundreds of people they can call out to drive, and we're a small party, but we're looking forward to the contest," Dr Sharples says.
With polling day tomorrow, there have been questions asked about whether the Mana Party has broken the rules by holding a free sausage sizzle and then driving young voters to the early voting booth.
Giving voters food, drink or similar inducement to influence their vote is illegal, but Mana says the sausages fell within the definition of a light supper after campaign meetings, which is allowed.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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