October 15, 2019
National sticks with Māori seat boycott
National’s Māori development spokesperson has failed in her push to be allowed to stand in a Māori seat in next year’s election.
Ms Hayes was keen to stand in Te Tai Hauāuru against incumbent Adrian Rurawhe, which could have siphoned off votes from the Māori Party’s Debbie Ngarewa Packer.
But she told Radio Waatea host Dale Husband the party’s ruling council rejected her tono.
"The push back to me was that we need to set up our electorate systems inside all the Māori seats, we need to start bringing people across into the National Party which means we have work ahead because we haven’t done that in the past, I think 2002 was the last time we stood candidates in the Māori seats so I think we need to keep going and start rebuilding in the Māori seats," Ms Hayes says.
She says National still considers the Māori vote important.
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