PM picks a Labour win in north

The Prime Minister is picking Labour's Kelvin Davis to win the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

John Key says there is always a low turn-out in by-elections, and that could work in Mr Davis's favour come June 25.

“This might be an electorate where 10,000 people or 8000 people vote in which case 500 people you might mobilize might make all the difference and I have always thought that Labour will be much better organized than the Mana Party so on that basis they will get out and get Kelvin Davis over the line,” he says.

Mr Key says the closeness of the November general election is likely to keep voters at home.

HARAWIRA MACHINE TRAMPING INTO ACTION

But a Mana Party activist says don't write off the Hone Harawira machine.

Jevan Goulter says the canvassers aren't fazed by the Maori Television poll showing their candidate neck and neck with Labour's Kelvin Davis.
He says Mana is a movement of the people, and especially Tai Tokerau people.

“Driving throughout the north I saw the Labour machine out, I can see the signs up. You’ve got Labour with its flash offices in Kaikohe and Whangarei. And then you’ve got Hone with his down to earth office but the difference is his offices have foot traffic thorough the whole day, people walking in and out,” Mr Goulter says.

Mana also has a large online campaign happening.

TE AUTE SEEKING TO DOUBLE ROLL

The commissioner of Te Aute College says the Hawkes Bay Maori boarding school will survive despite a drop in student numbers.

Elizabeth Ellis says the school is considering taking on more day pupils as it fights a trend away from boarding and competition from mainstream schools which have upped their game with regards to Maori students.

She says many of Te Aute's pupils are sons or mokopuna of former students, and there is great respect for the school's history of producing Maori leaders.

“The 85 boys we’ve got here are without question proud to be here. We encourage parents and whanau to send their sons here. They’ll be well prepared for the future and they will be well looked after while they're here,” she says.

Mrs Ellis says after overseeing the separation of Te Aute's hostel and school operations, she will move on to a curriculum review with the aim of emphasising the school's special Maori character.

INTERNAL POLLING CONFIRMS UNDERDOG COULD HAVE DAY

Labour leader Phil Goff says his party's internal polling confirms a Baseline-Maori television survey showing candidate Kelvin Davis has drawn level with the Mana Party's Hone Harawira.

Mr Goff says while nothing is being taken for granted, it's clear the fight between Mr Harawira and the Maori Party is driving Maori voters back to Labour.

“We start from behind. We were the underdog in this race. Two to one people voted for Mr Harawira over Kelvin Davis last time but they are reassessing the situation and if we can get supporters of Kelvin out to vote on the day, Kelvin’s got a really good chance of winning,” Mr Goff says.

He says Mr Davis has been able to focus on things that matter to voters in the electorate like jobs and education, while Mana and the Maori Party fight each other over the past.

COMPULSORY MAORI TRAINING PLAN LUDICROUS

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says a plan to make to make te reo Maori lessons compulsory for all teacher trainees is ludicrous.

The proposal came out of the Maori Youth Council, and Maori Affairs and Associate Education Minister Pita Sharples says it fits with a new professional development programme he asked the ministry to develop for teachers of Maori learners.

Mr Peters says it's unworkable.

“There ain't enough Maori teachers to teach Maori to Maori, let alone teachers who can teach Maori to Europeans. So why would you hold out that promise and say it is going to be compulsory which would have (a) the effect of not being able to be carried through because you don’t have the firepower to do it and (b) raise a while lot of resentment from people who say ‘why am I being forced to do this,’” he says.

BIGGER CASINO WILL INCREASE GAMBLING PROBLEM

A problem gambling counselor says Sky City plans to exploit vulnerable communities to pay for its new convention centre.

The listed company is seeking Government approval to expand its gambling operations as part of the $350 million project.

Pesio Siitia of the Problem Gambling Foundation says the international visitors the project will attract won't be the convention crowd.

“Many of our Pacific families and our Maori families are suffering from problem gambling. A trip to the casino is seen as something very special and quite exciting. Many trips are taken there. We know that with family coming from overseas, the first place many of them want to be taken would be the casino,” she says.

Ms Siitia says the social impacts of gambling far outweigh the benefits to Maori and Pacific communities.