DESTINY NEW ZEALAND POLITICAL PARTY

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Waiariki Candidate - Hawea Vercoe

(11th August 2005)

"TV1's Marae Decisions Fundamentally Flawed"

In light of Justice Young's ruling regarding the TV3 Leader's debate, Destiny New Zealand Waiariki candidate Hawea Vercoe says that decisions made by TV ONE's Marae "Live Debates" are also fundamentally flawed.

Mr Vercoe will be seeking legal advice to support his case for inclusion in the Marae "Live Debate" on the Waiariki electorate to be aired on Saturday 20th August. This is in response to Justice Young's ruling that "Failing to include Mr Anderton and Mr Dunne, was considered to be detrimental to New Zealand's parliamentary democracy."

The initial structure of the Marae live-debate was to have the top two polling candidates involved. Destiny New Zealand was informed of this, and while disappointed by this stance, accepted it because those were the rules that Marae had set-down.

"The problem is that despite these very unfair and narrow minded rules, on the first show of this series they changed the rules to include an independent candidate who polled third and they staged a three way debate" Mr Vercoe added.

The next week in their coverage of the Tamakimakaurau electorate, Marae excluded the Destiny New Zealand candidate Tauwehe Hemahema-Tamati, who polled third, as the rules were changed again, this time reverting back to only two candidates.

"There are only three parties who are standing candidates in all Maori seats in this year's election. Maori voters have the right to be fully informed of all their options. The exclusion of Destiny New Zealand from the Marae Live debates is as Justice Young ruled, "Detrimental to New Zealand's parliamentary democracy" Vercoe adds.

"The producers of Marae are taking away Maori voters' right to be fully informed - and that's just not right!" Mr Vercoe concludes.

ENDS

© Scoop Media