Tamaki Makaurau By-election Week 4 – all eyes on Wednesday Debate
The divergent tactics between Labour and the Māori Party in fighting this by-election continued to widen over the week.
Labour’s ‘traditional’ campaign sees Peeni everywhere, asking Questions in Parliament, appearing on media, billboards, advertising and using social media after the fact.
The Māori Party’s, ‘social media first’ keeps their candidate on Social Media as a vehicle for direct connection with voters in a similar style to their Treaty Principle’s Referendum. It’s either a genius move that will score them a victory and reset the 2026 election campaign, or it will open them to a lot of criticism.
The first major event Oriini will appear at is the Palestinian protest in Auckland on Saturday.
That’s why Waatea’s Tamaki Makaurau By-election debate on Wednesday is so crucial because it looks like it may well be the only debate voters get to see and that will make the debate far more influential.
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We don’t need to overthink everything, leave it to the voters (if they have not been placed on the “dormant roll” of course)-please check people.
It will likely be a close result again and either lead candidate would be fine, though my personal preference is for TPM as the young are the future.