Te Heuheu refuses to rule out switch to Maori Party

By RUTH BERRY, political reporter

National MP Georgina te Heuheu has refused to rule out putting her hat in the ring as a candidate for the Maori Party.

The MP was ousted from her job as National's Maori Affairs spokeswoman this year, after she refused to tone down her criticisms of leader Don Brash's Orewa speech.

She has refused to say whether she intends to stand for National again next year, but doesn't face much of a future with the party.

Asked yesterday if she would rule out seeking selection for the Maori Party, Mrs te Heuheu said: "I don't think in politics you can rule anything out."

She missed Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia in Parliament as the pair had been "soulmates" and she believed the new party was exciting for Maori and for New Zealand.

Mrs te Heuheu is the sister-in-law of Tuwharetoa paramount chief Tumu te Heuheu.

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee said the party didn't want to lose her.

Former Mana Motuhake leader Willie Jackson also refused to rule out standing yesterday, although he said it was "very unlikely". If he put his name forward, it would be for the Waikato-based Tainui electorate, he said.

Mrs Turia, meanwhile, faces two more competitors in the Te Tai Hauauru byelection.

The Chief Electoral Office confirmed yesterday it had approved the nomination of Tahu Nepia from Ratana Pa.

Mr Nepia will stand as an independent but is working on the establishment of the Independent Ratana Party, which he hopes will contest the next election.

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party has also confirmed it will stand. It met last night to make a decision on which candidate to put forward and will announce its decision today.

But party leader Michael Abbleby said yesterday he believed a candidate with the "x factor" had been found.

Mr Nepia said he knew he would "get caned" in the byelection, but would useit as a vehicle to re-establish a Ratana party in Parliament.

While the party had been planned for some time, his decision to contest the byelection was fuelled by annoyance that Peter Wakeman, a Pakeha with no connections to the electorate, was standing.

Mr Wakeman is a retired pilot from Christchurch who has previously contested a Tauranga byelection and the Christchurch mayoralty.

He plans to campaign, as an independent, on his fears the growth in student loan debt could bankrupt the country. Mr Nepia said he had endorsements from senior members of the Ratana Church.

The church is currently aligned to Labour, but some members have argued Labour has failed to deliver and want that support withdrawn in favour of Mrs Turia.

Mr Nepia believes the church's religious base would give it a framework Mrs Turia's Maori Party lacks.

Mr Appleby said while Mrs Turia had said she personally supported decriminalisation of cannabis forpersonal use, the party's other co-leader, Pita Sharples, was a "prohibitionist".

The seat of Te Tai Hauauru stretches from Porirua to Tokoroa.