Christopher Luxon rolls out 'National 101' to get better candidates for Parliament

Christopher Luxon said National had begun improving candidate selection. Photo / Jason Oxenham

National leader Christopher Luxon said the party is trying something different as it looks for a candidate to run in the Tauranga byelection, following the retirement of Simon Bridges.

Luxon said over the summer the party rolled out "National 101", a course for people interested in candidacy, which would help find people who might not have been interested in becoming an MP before, and educated them about how National works.

The party was roundly criticised for candidate selection and quality at the 2020 and 2017 elections. A number of MPs elected in 2017 resigned following character issues. Candidates running in 2020 were criticised for lacking diversity, while also displaying issues of character. The party's board was also criticised for excessive interference in candidate selection.

"We have reset our candidate selection processes. We did that over Christmas.

"We have a new process that we kick off with what we call 'National 101' - what was really exciting is we did that a month ago and we had probably over 280 people who have had an expression of interest in exploring candidacy, or exploring getting involved with the campaign, or with the National Party - 90 per cent of those people we hadn't met before," Luxon said.

National's review of the failed 2020 election campaign had recommended improving candidate selection. Those recommendations have begun to be implemented.

National 101 is meant to be a way of both encouraging new people to the party, as well as giving potential candidates a better idea about what to expect from candidacy and the exacting life of an MP.

The party will also conduct more exacting vetting of potential candidates to weed out any potentially problematic selections.

Luxon said National 101 had a "series of modules" that took "people through to candidacy and to explore candidacy".

National 101 is also meant to educate people in the history and values of the party and where those values come from.

"There's a number of things we're trying to achieve with those programmes. National 101 is the very first step where you learn more about the party, learn more about candidacy, about campaigning, and determine whether that's for you or not," Luxon said.

He said this would be followed by "a series of other programmes that kick in after that if you want to keep going with it".

"People are interested - and good people are interested," Luxon said.

"I'm very confident we'll get a great candidate in Tauranga - we've got a great local organisation, and they'll have a great selection I'm sure," he said.

National will begin the formal process of selecting a candidate to run in Tauranga next week.

Party President Peter Goodfellow said nominations would open next Tuesday.

"Our local members are looking for a candidate who is passionate about fighting for the issues that matter to communities across Tauranga. Like addressing the crushing cost-of-living crisis, restoring local democracy, and delivering better transport solutions to get the city moving," Goodfellow said.

Pointedly, given the criticism levelled at the party board for alleged interference in selection at the last election, Goodfellow said the party was "proud of our democratic selection process".

"Ultimately it will be up to local Tauranga Party members to decide who will be our National candidate in the byelection".

Luxon said the party wanted to "reset" some of its "core processes" - and not just candidate selection.

He said this included a "reset around code of conduct and dispute resolution", which was done over the summer.