While all four were vying for votes, they made it clear they were united in wanting better outcomes for Māori and were complimentary about the calibre of this year’s candidates.
About 200 people attended the debate at the Waikite Rugby and Sports Club. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Waititi described the past three years as at times “traumatic” – having to go from the marae and family to Wellington dealing with Government legislation changes, on top of “fighting among themselves”.
He said the Māori seats would determine the next Government and it was his party’s strategy to get Māori in Parliament.
He called for constitutional change to bring Te Tiriti o Waitangi to the forefront and stop references to it being removed from legislation.
“Legislation changes every three years, put it in, take it out, put it in, take it out … But if we make constitutional changes, you can’t do that.
Current Waiariki MP Raiwiri Waititi, the leader of Te Pāti Māori. Photo / Kelly Makiha
“You need bold parties like Te Pāti Māori to push our friends further than they’ve ever been pushed before. Even if it’s with a steel cap.”
He repeatedly said if Māori voted, they could “get rid of these buggers”, referring to the coalition of National, Act and New Zealand First.
“I don’t see this as a debate, it is more like a whānau reunion.”
Waikato, an experienced lawyer, said politics was not her original goal and she was on a “happy” path to becoming a judge. But that changed during the past three years as she listened to the calls of her tūpuna (ancestors).
It was the Greens’ policy to “tax the rich” – including introducing a 2.5% wealth tax on individuals with assets over $10 million.
She said there needed to be “consistency in the pūtea [money]” and she was “sick” of seeing great programmes designed, only to have their funding stripped.
Green Party Waiariki candidate Tania Waikato. Photo / Kelly Makiha
She said the right to vote needed to be protected and accused the current Government of making changes that attacked democracy, including taking away prisoners’ votes and changing electoral rules that stopped last-minute voter enrolments.
In her view, ”they know most of them [prisoners] are our people and they are going to vote for our party”.
She said the Greens would make Te Tiriti “the official text” and give the Waitangi Tribunal binding powers.
She said she had never been involved in so many urgent inquiries as recently, because the Government kept being found to have breached the Treaty.
“They have basically been giving the middle finger to the Waitangi Tribunal these entire three years.”
Labour’s Waiariki candidate Toni Boynton. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Boynton, currently a Kāpū-te-rangi Māori Ward councillor for Whakatāne District Council, said the only way the left could win was if Labour won.
She said Resource Management Act changes and local government reform must not go ahead and she would make sure that happened if Labour was elected and she became Local Government Minister.
She likened councils to a “solo mother on the DPB [Domestic Purposes Benefit, now known as Sole Parent Support]”.
She said she knew what it was like to struggle with money and remembered “ticking” things up on her Farmers card so her children could have food and school needs.
“The council is very similar. We are having to tick up all these loans to make sure the water carries on and make sure there is tarseal on the roads and the lights turn on.”
She said the Government “was the father”.
“He’s swanned off with all the money and is telling everyone else that I’m the problem.”
The Opportunity Party Waiariki candidate Pāpā Wharewera. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Wharewera said the Opportunity Party was on track to be the next kingmaker at the election and said his party was “prepared to work with anyone”.
When a few in the crowd heckled “not the Nats”, Wharewera said achieving constitutional change was about seeing the value of everyone’s view.
”True kotahitanga [unity, solidarity, collective action] means working together across the spectrum, not one side or the other.
“The intention is not to split the vote. Opportunity is in a powerful position.”
He said Waiariki voters had good candidates to choose from.
“Man, this is a big buffet. This is like going up the Skyline gondola.”
Debate organiser Haehaetu Barrett thanked those who helped put the debate together.
“This has been a very different kōrero for Waikite on a Saturday night.
“The only politics we normally talk about is who has the Tai Mitchell [rugby shield].
She acknowledged the crowd for attending despite the atrocious weather.
“They are here because they want to be part of change.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.