新西兰英语 806 Maori By-Election results

 　　First listen to April 29th 2013 to hear about the death of Parekura Horomia and the need for a by-election¹.

　　As a result of the death of the Labour MP Parekura Horomia, a by-election was held on Saturday to elect a new Member of Parliament² for the eastern Maori seat of Ikaroa-Rawhiti. The winning candidate³ was Meka Whaitiri of the Labour Party. She had been a strong supporter of Parekura Horomia. She got 4,368 votes. A long way behind her was the Mana Party candidate with 2,607 votes, then the Maori Party candidate with 2,104. The Green Party candidate got 1,188 votes and there were a few votes for other people.

　　Only 10,519 people voted although 33,000 were on the Maori roll. This is only 35% of those who were on the roll. 65% did not vote. There is usually a low number of voters in by-elections⁴ but this is very low. Another interesting fact was that if the Mana Party and the Maori Party had joined together with only one candidate, Meka Whaitiri might have been second not first.

　　Perhaps this is the reason that the co-leader of the Maori Party, Dr Pita Sharples, said today that he would resign from his position as co-leader and would leave Parliament at the time of the elections in 2014. The Mana Party suggested that the Maori Party join with them to form one party for Maori people. This is very strange because just two years ago, Hone Harawira left the Maori Party to form a new party, the Mana Party.

　　Listen to November 13th 2008 to hear about the Maori Party and Dr Pita Sharples. Also, listen to June 6th 2011 to hear more about Hone Harawira and the Mana Party.

　　Note: It is Maori language week this week. Listen to July 23rd 2012 to hear about Maori language week last year.

　　Vocabulary

　　?candidate – a person standing⁵ for election, wanting to be a Member of Parliament

　　?co-leader – two people share the job of leader

　　?strange – interesting because it’s unusual

　　Grammar

　　Note that ‘suggested’ is not followed by a person as an object. You cannot say ‘He suggested me…’ It’s a good idea to add ‘that’ after the word ‘suggested’ e.g. He suggested that I …

1 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

2 Parliament   

n.议会，国会

参考例句：

• She won a seat in Parliament at the election.她在选举中赢得了议会中的席位。
• The drug was banned by an act of parliament.议会的法案明令禁止该药品。

3 candidate   

n.候选人；候补者；投考者，申请求职者

参考例句：

• Voters like a candidate who has the common touch. 投票者喜欢那些平易近人的候选人。
• The local newspapers dressed up the candidate as a boxer.当地报纸把那个候选人描绘成一个拳击手。

4 elections   

n.选举，当选，推举( election的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Republicans got shellacked in the elections. 共和党在选举中一败涂地。
• He emerged victorious in the elections. 他在竞选中脱颖而出获得胜利。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。