October 07, 2013
Maori voters switching off
Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta is alarmed at the census data showing a drift away from the Maori electorates.
The first data released yesterday showed New Zealand had 214,00 more people than at the last census seven years ago, meaning another electorate is needed.
But the number of Maori electorates will stay at seven, because not enough people switched to the Maori roll during this year’s option.
Ms Mahuta says in fact the trend was the other way with Maori voters switching to general electorates.
"Hauraki-Waikato was the only electorate that had the largest transfer over on to the Maori roll. We're concerned about that because it shows there is some skepticism in the Maori electorate about what is happening in politics, and we haven't quite got our head around what those dynamics are," she says.
Labour’s special caucus in Dunedin has also discussed how to reach the 800,000 enrolled voters who didn’t turn out at the last election, many of whom are Maori.
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