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National | David Cunliffe

Possible deputy co-leadership opportunity for Labour's Māori Caucus

Labour's Māori Caucus may be given a more prominent role by way of a deputy co-leadership position, to mark the strong support Māori showed for Labour at the election.

That's according to David Cunliffe who today resigned as leader in order to clear the deck for the contest over the position between him and Grant Robertson.

According to Nanaia Mahuta, “We want to ask both candidates how they intend to best serve the needs of our Māori people.”

Cunliffe has touted the idea of having a deputy co-leadership, one of which would be for Māori.  However, Robertson hasn't been as forthcoming.

The question now is which way the Māori votes will go?

In the last leadership race there was a split, Meka Whaitiri and Rino Tirikatene backing Shane Jones, while Nanaia Mahuta and Louisa Wall supported Cunliffe.

Labour's Māori Caucus is hoping to meet with the leadership candidates in the coming weeks, before its Labour Māori Council meeting on the 18th of next month.