Veteran Labour politician Dover Samuels says Te Tai Tokerau's Shane Jones would be a good choice for deputy in Labour's new leadership line-up.
Mr Samuels - who was Maori Affairs Minister in Helen Clark's time - said the party lines are running hot over who wants the top job.
He said the names he's hearing are David Cunliffe and Grant Robertson; with Andrew Little and Shane Jones potential deputies.
Mr Samuels said his pick for these political times would be David Cunliffe and Shane Jones.
He said both MPs would represent key communities: Mr Jones is in touch with the Maori world and rural communities, while Mr Cunliffe represents urban communities.
Mr Samuels said Shearer's main problem as party leader was that he was too nice for the job.
He said he's known Mr Shearer for a long time and he's a genuinely nice guy, perhaps too good for the Labour Party.
Mr Samuels said his nature possibly let him down as a face of a political party and a political leader.
