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Labour Party leader Phil Goff - Source: ONE News -
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The Labour Party's list is under fire again, this time from Maori.
A senior official within the influential Ratana Church is calling for its members to abandon Labour in response to the lowly ranking of it's candidates.
Senior Ratana minister Kereama Pene has launched a stinging Facebook campaign against what he sees as Labour's list insult.
He said on the social networking site: "Every Ratana should show their total disgust and abandon Labour forever."
"I think that we have to wake up and we have to realise the situation we're in with Labour. The Labour and Ratana alliance probably died long ago, but our faith kept us in there," the minister told ONE News.
Labour's bond with Ratana dates back to its founder, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, but those ties appear to be weakening today.
It's understood that some in the highest levels of the church are disappointed.
Ratana sanctioned Soraya Peke-Mason has contemplated resigning over her lowly 55th ranking on the Labour list. However, she has decided to stay but said Labour has to stop taking Ratana and it's 60,000 followers for granted.
"It doesn't seem that in the last say 10 or so years or so, there's been any evidence to show and demonstrate that the Labour Party is serious about that," said Peke-Mason.
The Church has refused to respond to critics saying it will not be drawn into politics.