Greens attack Labour's 'grey' man

Russel Norman

The gloves are off between the parties of the left in the Mt Albert byelection, with Greens co-leader and candidate Russel Norman dismissing Labour's flag-bearer, David Shearer, as a "grey machine man" and "National-lite."

Labour selected Mr Shearer yesterday from a field of eight to be its candidate in the June 13 byelection for the Mt Albert seat vacated by Helen Clark.

In his 50s, he has been a high-level humanitarian aid manager for the United Nations and was an adviser to Labour leader Phil Goff from 2000 to 2002 during his time as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This morning he told Radio New Zealand he had quit his job as head of the UN's humanitarian programme in Iraq.

"I can't run as a candidate and hold my job," he said.

"This is, for me, a total commitment to the people of Mt Albert and the Labour Party."

Mr Shearer said he owned a house in Mt Albert and had lived there before he went overseas.

Labour's other nominees included business studies lecturer Hamish McCracken, Auckland City councillor Glenda Fryer, politics tutor Meg Bates and employment lawyer Helen White.

But Mr Shearer's links to Mr Goff meant he was regarded as the preferred candidate.

Dr Norman played up the link, saying it meant he himself was the only "progressive" candidate on offer.

"The right of the party - the Goff faction - have got their man. Labour have chosen the grey machine man. I'm sure he's a very nice guy, but it means we've got National versus National-lite versus the Greens."

Mr Shearer yesterday said he was gratified to be chosen and nervous about his chances, despite the media tipping him as the favourite.

He said Dr Norman clearly did not know him if he believed he was "National-lite."

"It would be a long bow to draw to say that. My actions stand for themselves in where I sit on any political spectrum.

"Dr Norman is really looking at trying to increase his profile, so I guess we can expect this sort of thing from him over the next few weeks."

The contest is shaping up to be a thrilling one. The Green Party decided to stand Dr Norman despite hints from Labour that it should step aside to maximise Labour's chances of retaining the seat.

Although Helen Clark's majority was more than 10,000 last year, the difference between the National and Labour party vote was only a little over 2000.

National was expected to tonight select list MP Melissa Lee for the June 13 by-election.

"We're going to try to win the seat but no one is under any illusions - we're the underdog," Mr Key said today.

"We've got the best chance we've had for a long time," he told NewstalkZB.

"Helen Clark held the seat but even with her very strong profile the majority has been reducing."

If the Greens' campaign hurts Labour so much it loses the seat, it would be humiliating for the Goff team.

Mr Shearer said he was taking nothing for granted and would be hitting the shopping malls today to try to get the support he needed.

"Mt Albert people will be looking at whether the Waterview tunnel goes ahead and people are worried about the Super City and what that means for their representation."

Mr Shearer's selection followed a controversial battle for the candidacy.

List MP Phil Twyford was widely seen as anointed for the seat but was sidelined in favour of a non-sitting candidate after Mr Goff said voters would prefer somebody who wasn't already in Parliament. If Mr Twyford had become Mt Albert MP, Judith Tizard would have gone back into the House as the next person on Labour's list.

Mr Shearer also faced scrutiny last week after right-wing bloggers and the National Party publicised articles he wrote in 1998 and 2001 advocating that the United Nations be able to use mercenaries in some situations.

Labour president Andrew Little said about 200 delegates were at yesterday's selection meeting. It took about five hours for the eight candidates to speak and the voting to take place.

National will select its candidate tonight. The contest will be between list MP Melissa Lee - a favourite of John Key - and the Rev Ravi Musuku, who was the candidate against Helen Clark in 2005 and 2008 and has substantial support among local party members.

Act will stand John Boscawen, also a list MP, who became well known for his opposition to the Electoral Finance Act last year.

He has a "take no prisoners" approach to campaigning and could take votes from National.

He said the recession would be the big issue in the by-election.

"Living standards are falling for the people in Mt Albert, as they are everywhere in the country," he said.

- With NZPA