More influence on Maori spending wanted by Maori Party

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the party will look at whether National or Labour will give it influence over the money spent on Maori people, when looking at potential coalition partners.

Recent poll results have fueled speculation that the Maori Party's decision to support Labour or National will determine who leads the next government.

Mrs Turia says her party will hold a series of hui around the country after the election, to find out what its supporters want in a government.

She says her party will require an audit of the money spent on Maori people by every government department, to determine how effective it has been.

She told Nine to Noon that the Maori Party wants a significant influence over that spending.

"I think it is very important for us to know where money is being spent, and what the outcomes of it is."

Mrs Turia says there are a variety of ways it could achieve that, including having MPs who are ministers outside Cabinet.

Listen to Tariana Turia on Nine to Noon

Labour, National respond

Labour leader Helen Clark says her party has been working for some time to give Maori a say on the way government funding is spent in their communities.

She says Labour has been including Maori in Budget decisions since it was elected to government in 1999.

National Party leader John Key is not ruling out offering the Maori Party some control over government spending in any post election negotiations.

Mr Key says all issues will be up for discussion after polling day but declined to take a firm position on entrenching the Maori seats, a bottom line for the Maori Party, after Labour indicated its support on 2 November.

Maori Party ' key'

Political commentator Chris Trotter told Morning Report he believes the Maori Party holds the key to the next government being formed.

"That's going to be an extraordinarily interesting process for the rest of New Zealand to watch, because I can't see the numbers falling in any way that doesn't give the Maori Party the swing vote, as it were, in this election."

The party will hold a series of hui around the country after polling day, to find out what its supporters want.

Mr Trotter says that could take a week.