Barry gets nod for National in plum Shore seat

Maggie Barry. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Broadcaster Maggie Barry was selected last night as National's candidate for the plum North Shore seat, and will almost certainly become an MP at the November election.

She beat four others to the seat, held by retiring Defence Minister Wayne Mapp with a majority of 14,574 votes.

The others were former Auckland City councillor and author Paul Goldsmith, North Shore businessman Michael Single, former Christian Heritage leader Ewen McQueen and accountant Enya Chadderton.

It was Ms Barry's second attempt to win a National Party selection for the November 26 election.

She lost out to former Auckland councillor Jami-lee Ross to stand in the Botany byelection forced by Cabinet minister Pansy Wong's resignation.

Ms Barry said last night the Botany delegates might have felt she was a "celebrity dilettante".

"'Yes, she knows a lot about pansies and delphiniums but what the hell does she know about politics?' That was certainly the attitude of some people."

But when she had talked to delegates they realised she had taken more than a passing interest in the political process over a long time.

Ms Barry, 51, has worked extensively in radio and television including as co-host of Radio New Zealand's Morning Report and host of its Nine to Noon show. She hosted a gardening show for many years on TV One and most recently was a talkback host on Radio Live.

She is associated with many issues of aged care and has supported Hospice NZ Alzheimer's disease awareness.

"I was on Morning Report when Phil Goff still had a moustache and didn't dye his hair."

Ms Barry said she was sick of being on the outskirts and reporting on events and the time had come to try to change things that "annoyed her".

Asked if she had supported National while she worked as a journalist she said: "I never, ever revealed, even to my partner, what my politics [were].

"I was raised in a National Party household and people can figure it out for themselves. But I never joined a political party, pressure group or signed a petition."

She downplayed suggestions she would be used by National as a weapon against the elderly because of her close interest in aged issues.

Ms Barry will move into the North Shore electorate from Mt Albert.

She earlier entered, but withdrew from, selection for the Rodney seat, which was won Mark Mitchell.

With the North Shore selection complete, National can expect to have at least four new faces in Parliament from the Auckland and northern region after the election.

Mike Sabin won selection for Northland, held by John Carter with a 10,054 majority.

Mr Mitchell won Rodney, which was freed when Speaker Lockwood Smith opted to become a list-only candidate.

Longtime Auckland party stalwart Scott Simpson won selection in Coromandel, held with a 14,560 vote majority by Sandra Goudie, who is retiring.

Labour's candidate in North Shore will be North Shore resident and IT professional Ben Clark.