National's campaign for the Pacific vote in south Auckland has suffered a serious blow.
The party's Mangere candidate is facing accusations from Labour of fraud and deception for using a Matai or Samoan chief title without having earned it.
Misa Fia Turner is fighting for National in the Labour stronghold of Mangere.
But the Misa in her name – the Samoan chief title – is being questioned, throwing doubt on Prime Minister John Key's campaign in south Auckland.
"I inherited it from my father," says Ms Turner. "It's an honour."
The problem is there is no record of Ms Turner in Samoa's Register of Chiefs.
Her Labour opponent – Mangere MP Su'a William Sio – checked with the courts in Samoa.
3 News has confirmed with the chief executive of Samoa's Department of Justice Ms Turner is not entitled to use the title. He says if she's not on the register, she's not a Matai.
It's not easy to become a chief – a person is selected by their family, a village ceremony is held, the decision is then published in the national newspaper and if there are no objections within three months, the person is registered.
Because of its strong Pacific vote, south Auckland has been said to either win or lose parties the election.
Su'a William Sio insists he wasn't digging for dirt and that it was Ms Turner's own family who complained to him that she was using the title.
But with less than two weeks until the election, of course this is political - the fight for Mangere just got dirty.
3 News
source: newshub archive
