Tania Waikato, for the Green Party, Toni Boynton for Labour and Pāpā Wharewera all learning how far they are off the pace in the Whakaata Māori-Curia poll which puts Rawiri Waititi on 42 percent support.
Tally up all of the other candidate results and throw in Other and Waititi would still be 3 points ahead. Unsure voters make up 18 percent of the vote.
His party’s instability during the last term not seeming to dent Waititi’s popularity.
Wilcox told Waititi the poll also revealed that men are more likely to vote for him.
“Oh geez, maybe because I still dive in my undies and maybe used to play rugby and grow kumara... all of those things I think maybe resonate,” Waititi quipped.
It was a night where he was at his quick-witted best. Asked who he would recruit to his party, he looked Labour’s Willie Jackson who was sitting in the crowd and yelled “not you Willie.”
Labour’s candidate Boynton argued her result was affected by the Greens standing a candidate in the electorate.
“What we can agree all together as whanaunga here is that we’re all here for the same reason and that is to ensure we change the government.”
Waikato was asked early on about her online Bikini Baddies campaign and whether in a conservative electorate such as Waiariki that campaign had hurt her.
The Toitū Te Tiriti lawyer batted that back arguing the campaign which had two million views had directly led to increased rangatahi voter enrolment.
“I’ve been on so many marae lately where the nannies are the ones coming up to me saying ‘thank you for the firemen...
“It’s not for everyone, I’m not for everyone. Ko tērā taku momo nē.”
Wharewera offered shorter arguments than all of the candidates for most issues but was clear and concise, including opposing lowering the super age for Māori.
“No, lets make them healthier so they live longer,” he said.
As a newcomer in the seat he said it was his job to build trust.
Trust a big issue for Waikato too.
When asked if she could trust the Crown to work in good faith with Māori on defining Tiriti principles - her short answer was no.
Her longer answer was blunt too.
“Treaty principles is a watered down version of what we actually want which is Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
“What we should be talking about is how do we entrench Te Tiriti.”
Boynton said entrenchment required a three-quarter majority in the house.
“That means you need National, Act and New Zealand first to actually vote for that to happen, and under this current environment that’s going to be very tough.”
It came off the back of a poll question which found that 64 per cent of Waiariki voters believe Māori and the Crown should work together to define the Treaty principles.
Sherman put it to the Māori Party co-leader that multiple groups wanted to be part of the wider treaty principles conversation.
Waititi took issue with Whakaata-Māori’s method.
“When you use people like Curia and the Taxpayer’s Union you get white questions like that.”
“Whakaata Māori formulates our own questions, we’re in charge,” Sherman said.
Candidate kareoke lifting the energy in the room.
Three candidates choose Bob Marley anthems while Wharewera gave a rendition of The Drifters classic Saturday Night at the Movies.
Candidates now focused on that fast approaching Saturday night in November where they hope to sing down the house.
To re-watch the Waiariki debate and all four candidates battling it out to convince Waiariki voters.
