PRO-CANNABIS PARTY TO STAND AGAINST TURIA

Tariana Turia is facing a byelection in her Tai Hauauru electorate, with
the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) announcing it plans to stand.

A Labour supporter, Peter Wakeman, also claimed last night he would contest
the byelection as an independent, to ensure there was a competition.

Mrs Turia officially resigned from Labour yesterday and a byelection date
has been set for July 10.

All political parties represented in Parliament have said they would not
put forward a candidate for the seat, which Mrs Turia holds with a large
majority.

If no one else had put their hand up, Mrs Turia would have simply been
declared the victor after nominations closed on June 15, saving the
taxpayer the $450,000 cost of a byelection.

But yesterday ALCP spokesman Michael Appleby said the party had "determined
we will be standing in the byelection unless we get an assurance from
Tariana that she will in fact support our position, which is of course the
legalisation of cannabis".

Mrs Turia said last night she had no intention of doing so.

"I don't want to be giving anyone any assurances of that nature."

Helen Clark announced the byelection date yesterday, saying the writ, the
next stage of the process, would be issued by the Governor-General on June 4.

The Governor-General takes her advice from the Government and could have
issued the writ several weeks earlier, speeding up the process.

But Helen Clark said the Chief Electoral Officer had indicated he wanted
time to organise an enrolment campaign in the electorate in the event of a
byelection, because it was of such a large size.

Mrs Turia is in the process of establishing a Maori party to contest next
year's election.

She confirmed last night that "at this stage we are calling it the Maori
Party. We think that's the name that is known right throughout the country".

Over the weekend Professor Whatarangi Winiata and Dr Pita Sharples said
they were prepared to take on leadership roles in the party.

Professor Winiata had agreed to be its interim president, while Dr Sharples
agreed to an interim leadership role.

He is expected to co-lead the party with Mrs Turia.

Professor Winiata is an academic and Anglican church leader, who has long
called for a dual parliamentary system, emulating the structure set up by
his church.

Wellington treaty lawyer Donna Hall and activist Titewhai Harawira have
been linked to electorates, with speculation they would run for Parliament
in the 2005 election.