Family Violence and Education are the issues voters in the Te Tai Tonga Electorate are most concerned about. Native Affairs revealed the results of the Kōwhiri 2014 exclusive poll results last night in the first of its seven Māori Electorate debate specials.
96% of voters highlighted Family Violence and Education as the main concern, while 94% highlighted Child Poverty as the biggest issue, 93% highlighted the cost of living with 88% pointing out housing as a major issue and Māori Unemployment was at 87%.
The four leading Māori candidates vying for the region which included current MP for Te Tai Tonga, Rino Tirikatene of Labour, Ngaire Button for the Māori Party, Georgina Beyer of the Internet MANA Movement and Dora Langsbury of the Greens joined Mihingarangi Forbes in studio and were given an opportunity to respond to the results and highlight how they would tackle the issues that matter most to the people of their rohe.
The poll results also revealed, Labour is leading in Te Tai Tonga with 43% of potential voter support in the electorate. Incumbent MP for Te Tai Tonga, Rino Tirikatene of the Labour Party is ahead with 48%, while Ngaire Button of the Māori Party received 17%, with Dora Langsbury of the Greens and Georgina Beyer of the MANA Movement both sitting at 9%.
Te Tai Hauāuru candidates will face off in the second 1 hour special on Wednesday 27 August and all the debates will be simulcast on Māori Television and www.maoritelevision.com.