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Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has indicated the Green Party could work toward a deal over the Maori seats to try to maximise the electorate vote for the Maori Party, while securing the party vote for the Green Party.
The Green Party plans to stand candidates in three
Maori electorates, including Ikaroa Rawhiti where Labour minister Parekura Horomia will face off against Maori Party candidate Derek Fox.
The entry of the Green Party into the candidates' race could risk taking some votes away from the Maori Party candidates. However, Ms Fitzsimons said Green candidates would be pushing for the Party vote rather than the electorate vote - which the Maori Party was dependent on.
She did not rule a possible deal between the Maori Party and Greens, saying there was " potentially quite a lot of synergism" between the Maori Party and the Green Party and the two would continue to talk about whether to develop a mutually beneficial strategy in the election together.
"At the last election, [Maori Party co-leader] Tariana Turia did say if you're not going to give us your party vote, then give it to the Greens. That was a good first step and we will continue to talk."
The Maori Party currently holds four of the seven Maori seats - giving it a representation in Parliament above its proportion of the party vote.
It is hoping to wrest the others from Labour in this election.
Ms Fitzsimons said it made sense for Maori Party supporters to also look to the Greens for back-up.
"I think a lot of voters in the Maori seats will be able to work it out for themselves. At this stage, if you look at the numbers a party vote for the Maori party doesn't increase their representation.
"If they use their party vote to get another party into Parliament which has a very strong position on the Treaty, then that's in their interests."
Ms Fitzsimons comments follow calls from Nandor Tanczos in his farewell speech last night for the Green Party to work more as a bloc with the Maori Party in the election campaign
He said one of the Green Party mistakes of 2005 and previous elections had been linking itself with Labour, only to be "fobbed off."
There have previously been discussions about the two parties - which often vote the same way on legislation - working in mini-coalition, to give their combined votes more power in Parliament.
In her speech to the Party conference, Ms Fitzsimons also made an appeal to the soft-Green/ Labour voters, urging those concerned about the environment not to vote for Labour simply to try to prop it up against a resurgent National.
"Last election voters scared of Don Brash mistakenly felt they had to choose between voting with their heart for the Greens or voting with their head to keep out Brash.
"The result was those voters very nearly did get Brash and had to settle for Winston Peters and Peter Dunne sitting in government ruling on the well-being of our environment. This election, don't make the same mistake again."
