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Support from the south for John Tamihere's bid to become Auckland's next mayor.
National's Māori spokesperson and Christchurch-based list MP Nuk Korako says the former Labour cabinet minister has had his ups and downs in politics, but his heart has always been in the right place.
He says the question will arise about whether Aucklanders are ready for a Māori mayor, but that says more about the voters than about Mr Tamihere.
"I think someone should be elected on their ability to do the job, not on their ethnicity. This is an old thing that comes up all the time, even Māori standing in general electorate seats or other ethnicities, we still have that kind of hangover so good on him, kia kaha to him, go for it JT," Mr Jorako says.
He says Aucklanders will be pleased with John Tamihere's promise to remove the regional fuel tax.
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