The Greens, Te Pāti Māori and Labour are all gearing up to campaign on the shared goal of changing the Government, but none is willing to be drawn on whether that could involve working together ahead of the election.
While the parties have each signalled a desire to see a change of Government, there is no clear indication yet of whether that shared objective will translate into formal cooperation or coordination during the campaign.
Te Pāti Māori has already set out its strategy, encouraging voters to give its candidates their electorate vote while using their party vote for Labour, the Greens or another left-wing party.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngārewa-Packer says she is not interested in fighting with her left-wing allies and is keen to work together.
“At the moment our people have told us that they want to see a change of government. They want to see us working collectively with Labour and the Greens” she said.
Labour Māori campaign lead Willie Jackson has said the party’s goal is to win all seven Māori seats, while acknowledging it will be difficult to unseat incumbent MPs.
“I thnk all Māori know how tough things are, you know. But I’m really proud of the efforts of these candidates you know. We’re out to win all seven seats. People like Kingi Kiriona and all that, they know what they’re up against.” he said.
Greens co-leader Mārama Davidson has also backed her party’s candidates and is working towards making history by winning the party’s first Māori electorate.
“I would like to make history this year but not just because we haven’t yet won a Māori seat. But because I’m so proud of our wahine Māori standing across our electorates” she said.
While the three parties have different strategies in the Māori electorates, they say they share the same broader goal of replacing the current Government.
For now, the parties are campaigning separately across the Māori electorates while leaving the door open to cooperation.
How that cooperation could work, and whether any party will change its approach closer to election day, remains undecided.
