Sharples prefers Labour

THE PRESS: Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the party will still talk with National after the election, despite her co-leader Pita Sharples expressing a preference for Labour.

Dr Sharples admitted yesterday he would rather Labour won the election because it would be easier to deal with than National.

"We would prefer in the first instance that Labour got the higher share of the vote, because that's what our people want," Dr Sharples told The Press in Christchurch.

"The feeling is still there Maori are joined at the hip with Labour. There is no doubt about it," Dr Sharples said.

Dr Sharples' comments are a blow to National's hopes of forming a government with the Maori Party's support. The party is potentially crucial to the chances of either Labour or National forming the next government, with polls indicating it is on track to win six or seven of the Maori seats.

Mrs Turia today said she was surprised by his comments and the door was still open to National.

"We are interested in talking to all the political parties," Mrs Turia said on Radio New Zealand.

"Because we know that its really important for our people's aspirations for us to take MMP seriously.

"It's no good talking and then finding that the political party of your choice may not even be the government and so I think that we it owe it to our people to keep all the doors open."

Dr Sharples' remarks to a Press readers' forum followed an announcement yesterday that the Maori Party would require the entrenchment of the Maori seats as the price of its support of either Labour or National.

Mrs Turia announced the decision as part of the Maori Party's Treaty of Waitangi policy.

The policy, which may prove controversial, also calls for "cultural competency" tests in all government departments and a parliamentary commissioner for the Treaty. Entrenchment means a 75 per cent majority of Parliament would be needed to abolish the Maori seats.

Mrs Turia told reporters support for the legislation would be "a bottom line" in any post-election negotiations.

"There won't be any negotiation about it not being a bottom line," Mrs Turia said. "Support for the legislation will be a bottom line."

National has a policy of abolishing the Maori seats once all Treaty claims are finalised, which it expects by 2014.

Leader John Key had said the policy was not a "bottom line". However, yesterday he stopped short of endorsing the entrenchment of the seats.

"Our position has not changed," a spokesman for Mr Key said. "We don't want to have these discussions through the media as it is not helpful. If the Maori Party wants to bring this up, we will discuss it with them after the election."

Labour leader Helen Clark was also coy on the Maori Party's new position, saying only that Labour already had a commitment to allowing Maori to determine the future of the seats.