Survey shows support for Maori party

A voter survey carried out by a university professor six months ago supports poll results earlier this month that showed the Maori Party ahead of Labour in five of the seven Maori seats.

Massey University Professor of Marketing Phil Gendall's survey indicated 39 per cent of Maori roll voters would support the Maori Party.

It was not conducted in the same way as the Marae-DigiPoll, and dealt only with the party vote, but the level of support was roughly the same.

The Marae-DigiPoll showed the Maori Party with 42.7 per cent of the party vote against Labour's 42.8 per cent.

"The fact that two polls conducted six months apart, using different survey methodologies, produced very similar results suggests that there is a firm level of support for the new Maori Party ... of around 40 per cent in the Maori electorates," he reported in Massey News.

The survey of 2500 voters chosen at random from the electoral roll drew 1360 responses. It asked voters which party they would "probably" support, and the margin of error was about 3 per cent.

It also discovered how voting intentions were changing since the Maori Party was launched in June last year.

Among Maori voters, the Greens lost 17 per cent of their support to the Maori Party, Labour 11 per cent and New Zealand First 10 per cent.

National lost 4 per cent and ACT 1 per cent.

Prof Gendall said his results were best described as showing "latent support" for parties -- support that could be mobilised at the election.

The Marae-DigiPoll was described as "snake oil" by Labour's president Mike Williams, and Labour Maori MPs said its samples were too small to be accurate.

It showed Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia ahead of her Labour opponent in Te Tai Hauauru by 70 per cent against 22 per cent.

In Te Tai Tokerau, Hone Harawira had 58 per cent support against Dover Samuel's 24 per cent, and in Waiariki Te Ururoa Flavell was leading Labour MP Mita Ririnui by 48 per cent to 33 per cent.

The other Maori Party co-leader, Pita Sharples, was leading John Tamihere in Tamaki Makaurau by 66 per cent to 33 per cent, and in Te Tai Tonga Monte Ohia was ahead of sitting MP Mahara Okeroa 51 per cent to 24 per cent.

Two Labour MPs were holding leads over Maori Party candidates -- Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia over Atareta Poananga in Ikaroa-Rawhiti and Nanaia Mahuta over Angeline Greensill in Tainui.

- NZPA