Maori party in seven weeks

By JON STOKES

A new Maori party - bolstered by support from Maoridom's elite and by a surge in support in a new poll - will be launched in July.

Co-leader Tariana Turia said the Maori Party would be launched on July 11, the day after the Te Tai Hauauru byelection.

Mrs Turia made the announcement after commanding almost unanimous support at a hui attended by around 250 of the country's Maori academic, commercial and cultural leaders and supporters at Hoani Waititi Marae in West Auckland yesterday.

Mrs Turia, who resigned from Labour over its handling of the foreshore and seabed issue, was clearly buoyed by TVNZ Marae-DigiPoll results released yesterday showing that 65 per cent of Maori voters supported her resignation.

She had double the support of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere.

Of the 1000 respondents, 61.7 per cent said they would vote for a new Maori party. But 39.5 per cent said they would vote Labour if an election was held now.

Mrs Turia said she was heartened by the poll and said it sent a clear warning to the Government's Maori MPs.

"It is message ... for Maori MPs and for us in the future not to think we can skive off and do our own thing."

The hui also voted to approve Dr Pita Sharples as co-leader and Professor Whatarangi Winiata as party president.

Mrs Turia said that although not all of the 65 leaders invited to the hui had attended, she was confident the gathering had the mandate to make appointments and decisions.

In the coming month the party leadership would appoint a working group to develop policy. Lawyer Donna Hall was already working on a constitution.

Mrs Turia said party policy outlines and a draft constitution would be in place by the byelection.

Alliance head Matt McCarten will manage her campaign for the byelection - which she is expected to win - and is likely to continue within the organisation afterwards.

Mrs Turia distanced herself from recent comments calling for the creation of a separate Maori parliament.

"None of us have said that we are establishing separate structures. We did not say that, we have been misunderstood.

"We will be involved in the existing parliamentary structure."

The party would have to be prepared to work with whoever was in Government, but would not compromise its principles.

Mrs Turia would not name the sources of money but said the hui had attracted the financial support required to support the party through to the byelection and beyond.

All party appointments would be reviewed when the party was launched.

The hui was followed by a dinner hosted by Waikato Tainui at the tribe's endowed college in Hopuhopu.

A further hui is planned today, hosted by Tainui at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia.