KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark will make her 15th visit to Ratana Pa today to kick off election year with a "stocktake" of what Labour has given Maori as the party seeks to shore up its Maori vote.
But Clark's opponent - National leader John Key - will take
the same stage to urge Maori to run a critical eye over what Labour has actually delivered.
A large contingent of politicians are due at Ratana Pa today for the 135th annual celebrations marking the birth of the prophet and founder of the faith Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana.
The occasion marks the start of the political calendar - and Helen Clark said Labour expects to be "competitive" as if fights to recapture the four Maori electorate seats the party lost to the Maori Party at the last election.
Labour and the Ratana Movement have shared strong links since Michael Joseph Savage formed an alliance with the faith's founder in 1936.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said it will be her 15th appearance at the celebrations, which she described as a "pleasant duty".
"Maori support over a long period of time has been important to us. So we go to Ratana knowing we have a long-term relationship and a long-term emphasis by Labour in government on supporting and working with Maori to get ahead."
Helen Clark said her address will be a "stocktake" of what Labour has done for Maori, and canvas the low unemployment rate, improvements in health and education, the "cultural renaissance" and progress on Treaty settlements.
However, John Key said he will ask those present to run a critical eye over what Labour has done for them.
It will be John Key's second visit to Ratana as leader of the National Party. Mr Key said Maori should question whether Labour had delivered what was promised.
"The days of Maori blindly following Labour are long over. I don't think Labour has delivered for Maori in the last decade and I think they should cast their nets a whole lot wider."
He said the Treaty settlement process had become bogged down and there were still worrying gaps between Maori and Pakeha in both education and income.
Mr Key has spent much of the last year quietly meeting with Maori groups and organisations in a bridge-building mission after the leadership of Don Brash and said the party's support was slowly increasing.
"We can and should be doing a better job. That's not a short-term thing and we have accept that. But it wasn't that long ago that we didn't even go to Ratana. People will have to judge us by our actions."
"I don't think the aspirations of Maori New Zealanders are frankly any different to any other New Zealanders. They want a safe society that delivers a strong economy and a future for their children."
Maori Party co-leader and Ratana morehu (follower) Ms Turia said the Maori Party also now had many Ratana followers as supporters.
"I think the strong hold Labour had on the vote, while still strong, is no longer how it was. They've enjoyed our people's trust for many, many years, but now our people want a voice that is Maori."
She said she would not speak at Ratana because politicking was inappropriate.
"This shouldn't be about politics. The people are there for one reason and one reason only and it's not the right of politicians to try to get a captive audience of people who are there for a completely different reason."
However, Labour's Mita Rirunui - Labour's only Ratana MP and a minister of the Church - said politics was all part of the celebrations.
National is expecting about 10 MPs to be welcomed on to Ratana mid-morning, followed by Labour's retinue, including Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Maori Party and NZ First MPs are also expected to attend.
