Maori Party would work with National

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said it would be 'irresponsible' not to talk to National. Picture / Greg Bowker

The Maori Party changed its position today on dealing with National, saying it would be willing to talk to either Helen Clark or Don Brash after the election.

This appears at odds with a statement by co-leader Tariana Turia on July 29 when she said: "We will do our utmost to ensure that the National Party does not make it to the Government benches."

Mrs Turia told the Herald today that both Labour and National had contacted the Maori Party this week to find out how she could be contacted after the election.

She said it would be "irresponsible" of the party not to talk to whichever party was forming the Government, including National.

"We may have to," Mrs Turia said. "If they have the numbers and Labour doesn't have them, don't you think we'd be stupid not to talk to them?"

She said that did not mean the Maori Party would coalesce with Don Brash's National Party.

Maori were depressed by the stance taken by Dr Brash, she said, "but they are also politically aware enough to know that if it's the chance for us to stop him doing what he's doing, they want us to consider that".

National has a position of abolishing the Maori seats. But Act, which is not expected to be returned to Parliament, is the only party that supports its policy.

Mrs Turia said any coalition decision would be the result of consultation at over 20 hui planned in the coming week in each of the Maori electorates.

She said someone from the office of National leader Don Brash contacted her on Monday and someone from the office of Prime Minister Helen Clark on Wednesday.

"So we're the 'last cab off the rank' but we're obviously a cab to be considered," Mrs Turia said, referring to the phrase used by Helen Clark to describe coalition prospects with the Maori Party.

The change in the Maori Party's position was expressed today by president Whatarangi Winiata on Radio New Zealand's Mana News. He said he would expect whichever party was closest to the Treasury benches would talk to the Maori Party if it needed its support.

Co-leader Pita Sharples also backed up Professor Winiata saying on Morning Report that the Maori Party would be willing to discuss its bottom lines with anybody, even National if it were desperate.

"If there's a chance to discuss our bottom lines with anybody, we'll take them," Dr Sharples said. However, National would have to change some of its policies "for us to be with them," he said.

Dr Sharples' Labour rival in Tamaki Makaurau, MP John Tamihere, called on Maori to cast two votes for Labour as "the only way to keep Don Brash and National out of Government".

Mrs Turia's statement of July 29 against National followed a damaging campaign by Labour suggesting that a vote for the Maori Party was a vote for National. It also coincided with a speech by Dr Brash in Whangarei that revisited themes of his 2004 Orewa speech on what he called a dangerous drift to racial separatism.

Maori Party Te Tai Tokerau candidate Hone Harawira likened Dr Brash's speech to "Hitler's plan for the Jews" and said on the same day that he could not work with National.

Mr Harawira told the Herald this afternoon that he had been campaigning all day and had not yet caught up with what was happening at the leadership level.

But he added: "I can talk to anyone. It doesn't take me much say f... off."

Labour seized on the softened approach in the final day of campaign with Helen Clark and Labour Maori MPs drawing attention to it.

At 4pm Professor Winiata issued a statement saying the party stuck by its July 29 position.

"Neither National nor Labour will achieve an absolute majority and each of these parties will want to talk with the Maori Party.

"Of course all parties will want to talk to us - but we will not resile from our earlier statement which made our position clear, that we will do our utmost to ensure that the National Party does not make it to the Government benches."