Waiariki hopefuls face voters' questions

Three candidates for the Waiariki electorate seat, Annette Sykes, Te Ururoa Flavell and Rawiri Waititi, put their causes to the test at a debate at Te Puia on Monday night. Photo / Ben Fraser

If there was one thing Waiariki electorate candidates could agree on it was Maori need a greater say on what goes on in Parliament, but there was little consensus on how to achieve this goal.

Three of the four candidates in the Waiariki electorate took to the stage at Te Puia's Rotowhio Marae on Monday night in front of about 120 passionate supporters.

Tauranga-based New Zealand Independent Coalition candidate Pat Spellman did not attend.

Each of the candidates - incumbent Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell, Labour's Rawiri Waititi and the Mana Movement's Annette Sykes - were given eight questions with two minutes to answer each one.

While Ms Sykes and Mr Waititi argued for a change in Government, Mr Flavell revealed the successes the Maori Party have had while working with the National Government, but said the party were not National Party lackeys.

"In my heart of hearts I believe we all want the best for our people, we just go about it in different ways.

"To set the record straight, the Maori Party has voted against National Party policy on 42 separate occasions.

"You must be at the decision making table or you get nothing," Mr Flavell said.

Ms Sykes said Waiariki voters held the balance of power in their hands, saying activism and public pressure also helped to change laws.

"Vote for the change we desperately need. We have the dynamism of activists ... we want jobs for all, homes for the homeless, an end to child poverty and a living wage."

She said Whanau Ora had failed Maori men, who made up more than 50 per cent of the country's prison population.

"We are proud of Whanau Ora, but it has been made lame.

"Originally we were promised $1 billion for three years, but have only heard promises of $100 million," she said.

While Mr Waititi said the Whanau Ora policy was a good one, it was nothing new and was not reaching the people it intended to help.

"It's a beautiful programme, but it needs to be reviewed because it's under resourced.

"You can't have health without education - you will just end up with educated unhealthy Maori."

Mr Flavell said Whanau Ora had helped about 30,000 families to get ahead and make positive changes in their lives.

"And we will make sure this stays on the agenda for any party in Government."

Ms Sykes said no Maori with a sense of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) should support a Government who wanted to exploit Maori land for oil and mineral exploration.

However, Mr Flavell said Maori should have the right to decide what they wanted to do with their land.

Mr Waititi agreed. "We need to ensure we are in total control of our whenua (land)."

Watch the debates below:

Annete Sykes:

Te Ururoa Flavell:

Rawiri Waititi: