Bob Parker relaxed about potential Dalziel mayoral bid

Christchurch MP Leanne Dalziel. Photo / David White

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says he's relaxed about a potential mayoral challenge from local Labour MP Lianne Dalziel.

Ms Dalziel, who held her Christchurch East seat with an almost 5000 vote majority in Saturday's election, will not rule out another term in Parliament at the 2014 election.

But she won't rule out a bid for the Christchurch mayoralty in 2013 either.

Her decision depends on what happens to the Christchurch East electorate after the upcoming census, with post-quake population changes potentially affecting its future shape.

"What I didn't want to do is end up in a situation where the electorate basically disappeared or was subsumed by other electorates, and I ended up not having a role to play in the recovery of this city, which is what I've stayed on for," she told APNZ.

"I feel absolutely passionately that we have got to get the recovery right, we've got to get the planning processes right, and we have to engage with the community about their recovery, or we will make the earthquake look like it wasn't the disaster that it was.

"We will make the recovery look like an even greater disaster."

Ms Dalziel did not seek a place on the Labour Party list at this year's election because her priority was Christchurch.

But there were also lessons to be learned for the whole country from the rebuild, which was why she had stayed on as an MP.

If she did seek the mayoralty, she would complete her current term in Parliament as well.

Mr Parker said he had not given any deep consideration to whether he would stand for the mayoralty again in 2013, but he also would not rule it out.

He was "very relaxed" about potentially facing off against Ms Dalziel.

"It's not actually an issue, it's a long way away. What will be will be," he told APNZ.

"I've learned just to go with the flow and not worry unduly about challengers or whether they come to fruition or not, that's just life. That's the nature of this job and I don't sit here worrying about who will be standing against me in two years' time.

"The one thing that we've learnt in Christchurch is that even 24 hours can be a lifetime and everything can change, and we'll just cross that bridge if and when it arrives."

Mr Parker said Ms Dalziel had done a great job for her constituents in the badly-hit eastern suburbs.

"She's put in a huge amount of energy and real concern and has been through a difficult time herself in that whole event, and I have nothing but respect the constituency work that she's done."