Watershed election for Pacific
Pacific voters overall may still be loyal to the Labour Party, but an increasing number of Pacific people with political ambitions are not. The National Party now boasts two Pacific MPs with Alfred Ngaro becoming the first Cook Islander to enter New Zealand’s Parliament and Asenati Taylor sneaks in eighth on the list for New Zealand First. The Mangere seat also had a strong Pacific presence on the campaign trail with Claudette Haiti (National), Fa’avae Gagamoe (Conservative), Taliaoa Ilalio (NZ First) and James Papalii (Mana) all contesting, although incumbent Labour MP Sua William Sio’s stranglehold was never in doubt.
Staying at home
Sua William Sio had a right, however, to be concerned when he was approached on Election Day by Pacific people asking how they can register. Although his own seat of Mangere was never in threat, Labour needs a strong Pacific and Maori turnout for the crucial Party vote. It didn’t happen and, with the overall turnout of 73.8% being the lowest percentage in 120 years, it’s likely only half of the potential Maori and Pacific turnout actually voted.
Labour’s the conservative ones
The tragedy for the Labour Party was not only its dismal 27% of the overall party votes (more than 21% behind National’s), but the ensuing loss of its bright young, talented Pacific and Maori MPs, including Carmel Sepuloni and Kelvin Davis with Jerome Mika among those waiting in the wings. With leader Phil Goff and deputy Annette King set to resign in December, the long–awaited shake-up can finally happen.
Back from the Grave
PM John Key was reported to have said in his teapot conversation with John Banks that New Zealand First supporters were dying, but enough of those dying voters managed to drag themselves out of their death-beds to bring Winston Peters back to power, with seven other MPs in tow. Asenati Taylor stressed, however, on the Pacific Media Network’s National Election coverage that many young voters were out campaigning for the party. Their grandparents would be so proud.
National does have a mandate
Polls may indicate a lack of support for the sale of government assets, but when you have the National Party re-elected with 48% of the vote, the highest by any single political party since the early 1950s, that’ll do.
Maori Party still relevant
With the arrival of the Mana Party and the unease many Maori still have in relation to the National Party, it was no surprise the Maori Party support fell, with Rahui Katene losing the southern Te Tai Tonga seat to Rio Tirikatene. With ACT and UnitedFuture still in tow with National, they have a majority, but slim enough to ensure that their relationship with the Maori Party remains, so Whanau Ora stays as part of the landscape.
Maori votes count double
I know of a New Zealander of European descent who did his best to get on the Maori roll because he claimed his vote was worth twice as much in a Maori seat.
He was right. The number of voters on election night for each Maori seat ranged from 14 to 16,500, approximately half of those in the other electorate seats. That’s twice the voting power, but half the turnout. Funny how things even out.
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Was the NZ General Election result good or bad for Pacific and/or Maori? Give us your views.
