Bring on the girls... Brash acts to fight white blokes image

Don Brash. Photo / Janna Dixon

Act leader Don Brash says the party needs more young women and brown faces as candidates to more broadly represent New Zealand society at the election.

Yesterday, former Federated Farmers Don Nicolson head was confirmed as Act candidate for the Clutha-Southland seat.

But the addition of Mr Nicolson, 54, will do nothing to counter the perception that Act is the party of old white men - Don Brash, 70, John Banks, 64, John Boscawen, 54 - out of touch with contemporary New Zealand.

This could work to the advantage of Cathy Odgers, aka blogger Cactus Kate, a 35-year-old corporate lawyer who will be an Act candidate for the election.

Dr Brash would not confirm her candidacy yesterday, saying the list would be confirmed at the end of the month.

Other people thought to be in the mix include former WINZ boss Christine Rankin, who is also a former Families Commissioner.

Another possible candidate is former party president Catherine Isaac, but it would probably depend on the health of her husband, Business Roundtable boss Roger Kerr, who is battling cancer.

"I'm not really in a position to consider it," Ms Isaac said last night.

When asked about the gender imbalance in the party's confirmed candidates, Dr Brash quipped: "I'm always uneasy about being asked if I'm courting females.

"We certainly do want to ensure that our list includes some highly competent, able women, and, indeed, some younger people, and, indeed, some people who are not European. We want the Act list to be broadly representative of New Zealand society."

Dr Brash said he had met three Maori who were interested in representing the party, but two were unsuitable and the other was not willing to stand at the moment.

Mr Nicolson said he hoped to swing farming votes f from National to Act.

"I hope to put a bit of steel back into the farmers' voice."

Mr Nicolson said he supported all Act's policies, including those contained in advertisements published at the weekend under the headline: "Fed up with pandering to Maori radicals?"