A4 NEWS Monday, December 12, 2011 THE PRESS, Christchurch ■ POLITICS IN BRIEF Head1 Turnout poor Burns eyes recount after Wagner win ❯❯ Special votes did little to improve a historically poor voter turnout, with the Paul Gorman confirmed final figure 74.21 [email protected] per cent. The leading culprits for poor turnout were in the six He may be a ‘‘born optimist’’ Maori seats, where the but defeated Christchurch proportion of enrolled voters Central Labour MP Brendon who made it to the booths was Burns admits any change in between 54.8 per cent in fortunes from a recount is a Tamaki Makaurau and 61.6 per long shot. cent in Te Tai Tokerau. The The nail-biting tie between best turnout was in Wellington Burns and National Party list Central, where 82.41 per cent MP Nicky Wagner ended on voted. The only other Saturday afternoon when electorates in the 80s were all Wagner was told special votes in the wider Wellington region: had given her a 45-vote maj- Ohariu, Rongotai and Otaki. ority in what has traditionally The Green Party yesterday been a strong Labour seat. called for Parliament to search A dead heat saw both for the best ways to improve finish election night with voter turnout. 10,493 votes. The official count on MMP review Saturday gave Wagner 12,064 votes and Burns 12,019. ❯❯ With a clear majority of 57 Burns told The Press per cent voting to keep the yesterday that was still close MMP voting system, a review enough for one last try. of the system is now set to get ‘‘We are going to go for the under way. The Keep MMP recount. We need to lodge that campaign group celebrated by 5pm on Wednesday.’’ the result at Wellington’s Hop Wagner said she thought Garden bar at the weekend, the counting process had been but also welcomed the ‘‘pretty robust’’ and doubted a ‘‘chance to finetune’’ the recount would change the system through a review. outcome of a 45-vote margin. Spokeswoman Sandra Grey But Burns said there was said the group would keep an still a chance. eye on the review of MMP, ‘‘I’m a born optimist. I love which will cover issues such as this job and still hold out that the 5 per cent threshold, the small piece of hope that might makeup of party lists and see it overturned with the parliamentary ‘‘overhangs’’. judicial recount, but I have to The second part of the realise that it is not an over- referendum asked preferences whelmingly likely prospect.’’ for an alternative to MMP. The He told Wagner he would final tally gave ‘‘informal be lodging the bid for a votes’’ on 33.14 per cent the recount when he rang to Agony and ecstasy: Brendon Burns and wife Philippa have a quiet time at home, left, while National’s Nicky Wagner is in celebration mood after winning Christchurch Central, pending a recount. lead ahead of first past the congratulate her on Saturday Photos: MARTIN HUNTER and KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAX NZ post on 31 per cent and afternoon. supplementary member, on The recount would prob- scrutineers confident we had change, as indeed they did He was looking forward to better off than my constitu- ent offices this year,’’ Burns you are going to lose your job. 16.14 per cent. ably not take too long, he said. won the specials by a margin given on the special vote a couple of weeks off over ents who are still living in said. But I think 45 is quite high. ‘‘The Electoral Commis- of around 50. count.’’ Christmas with his wife, badly damaged homes, and Wagner said about 4000 ‘‘If it was five, 10, 15 or even D-Day for Labour sion would be very well aware ‘‘What would appear to In the meantime Burns Philippa. people who have lost a loved special votes had been 20, I would expect it, but there of a recount, given the have happened was there was said he had to start work on ‘‘I’m knackered, I’ve put one in the quake. My staff . counted very carefully in is a big expectation out of 45. I ❯❯ The Labour leadership election night result and the a miscount or mislocation of closing down his electoral everything into it. It has been I’m really feeling for them front of scrutineers working have faith this is a robust pro- roadshow has had its last stop tight outcome, so are probably votes on election night. It’s an office by Christmas, but in the a big year for everybody in because they have maintained for her and for Burns. cess, but you wouldn’t want to in Auckland after a week of gearing up for that. indication that these proces- hope the decision might be Christchurch and I think the highest possible level of She was not surprised he miss the opportunity and kick meetings around the country. ‘‘We understand we won ses are not perfect and there is reversed. ‘‘I can’t sit and wait mostofuswillbegladtosee service to the community, was seeking a recount. yourself for the rest of your The final ‘‘meet the candi- the specials. We had a team of the potential for results to for that outcome.’’ the back of it. I’m still a lot despite working in five differ- ‘‘I think anybody would if life.’’ dates’’ gathering had to be moved to a larger venue after the party was inundated with interest. Self-styled ‘‘under- dog’’ David Cunliffe says he Poverty inquiry part of Maori Party deal has not seen for many years Defeat ‘sends message anything like the crowds that have rolled up for a Labour Despite taking ‘‘a hit’’ from ‘‘So there will be more gathering as at the six voters on election night, the money spent, I think, ultim- meetings in the past week. to beneficiary basher’ Maori Party has again signed ately in this area but some of New members have been on to support three more it may be reprioritised. signing up and others coming Carmel Sepuloni has fired a the National Government, years of National-led Govern- ‘‘We’ll be keen to insulate to renew their membership, a barb at Paula Bennett, saying including the Minister of ment. more homes but a huge trend which Cunliffe predicted Waitakere voters gave the Social Development. Co-leaders Pita Sharples emphasis will be on low would spark momentum for a Crown minister her marching ‘‘Those things really and Tariana Turia keep their income families as opposed to review of the process for orders in response to ‘‘con- prompt people to get out and ministerial posts in the new say, middle income families.’’ selecting a leader. For now, stant beneficiary bashing’’. vote. If they really don’t like deal announced yesterday, The agreement included a however, the 34 MPs in The Labour MP yesterday something, they are going to and Turia will have a stake in doubling of funding to $24 Labour’s caucus will make was announced as the winner get out and vote against it.’’ a high-level committee set up million over four years to their picks tomorrow at a of the hotly contested west Sepuloni said she had met to investigate poverty. fight rheumatic fever. meeting in Parliament. Auckland electorate, toppling a lot of people ‘‘disillusioned Turia, as minister for ‘‘We’re not a government of Bennett, the sitting Minister with the National Party’’ Whanau Ora, will set up a well-off or middle-income ‘No mandate’ of Social Development, by an while on the campaign trail. standalone commissioning New Zealanders, we’re a 11-vote margin. She said the efforts of her agency for the party’s flagship government of all New Zea- ❯❯ The key vote of Ohariu MP National are seeking a campaign team had played a social policy. landers and we need to reflect Peter Dunne will pass partial recount and Bennett will significant role in her tri- She also picks up a role as Spending refocus: John Key signs an agreement with Maori Party co- that,’’ Key said. asset sales in to law, sparking remain in Parliament via her umph, but so, too, had discon- associate housing minister, leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia yesterday. Photo: FAIRFAX NZ Maori Affairs Minister criticism that the UnitedFu- high ranking on the National Paula Bennett tent with the Government’s with the new agreement fo- Sharples will direct changes ture MP has no mandate to Party list. proposed benefits reforms. cused on employment, edu- mittee on poverty will be led ing to surplus. ‘‘But within at his ministry, Te Puni support the plan. The Maori Speaking soon after being are 11 more people that think ‘‘There are a lot of people cation, housing and overall by Deputy Prime Minister Bill that spending, which is quite Kokiri, which will shift its Party’s confidence-and-supply told of her tight triumph, she wasn’t [good]. in west Auckland who haven’t wellbeing of the most vulner- English, who is set to be reap- enormous across a huge work to ‘‘give urgent priority’’ agreement with National Sepuloni said the result was a ‘‘West Auckland has quite been happy with National able, especially those on low pointed finance minister to- number of portfolios, there is to the same key areas. excluded support for it. Green clear message of discontent at a high number of sole-parent Party policy,’’ she said. incomes. day. the capacity for us to refocus Key said there was ‘‘quite a Party co-leader Russel Norman Bennett and the hard-line households .