Historian seeks National Party Epsom nod

Paul Goldsmith. Photo / Dean Purcell

Historian and former Auckland City councillor Paul Goldsmith has joined the contest for National's Epsom electorate nomination.

He will be a strong competitor for another former councillor, Aaron Bhatnagar. The former electorate chairman has already put his hat in the ring.

Former mayor and Cabinet minister John Banks has been confirmed as Act's candidate for this year's election on November 26.

Both National men have been close to Mr Banks, and Mr Goldsmith - a former Beehive staffer - wrote his biography in 1997.

Nominations close this Friday. The selection date has not been set but is likely to be next month.

Mr Goldsmith, aged 40, sought National's selection for the North Shore seat but lost out to broadcaster Maggie Barry.

The father of four is a business historian and writer. His most recent book was a commissioned history of Fletchers.

Epsom is a strategic seat for National. It has been held for two terms now by former Act leader Rodney Hide.

Under an electoral accommodation, National has tacitly encouraged an Act win to improve National's chances of securing a coalition partner.

If Mr Hide had not won the seat last time, Act would have been kicked out of Parliament altogether. It would not have been able to claim its party vote share of 3.65 per cent - amounting to five MPs - because it was under the 5 per cent threshold.

Shortly before Don Brash deposed Mr Hide as leader in April, Prime Minister John Key extended the electoral accommodation for the 2011 election, saying National would again campaign primarily for the party vote.

He has since made it clear that was the result of an understanding with Mr Hide, not Dr Brash.

He has yet to have formal talks with Dr Brash about Epsom - though it is highly unlikely National would change its position from that agreed with Mr Hide.

Meanwhile, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who had been rumoured to have been considering standing in Epsom against Mr Hide, may forgo standing in any electorate. That would allow him to concentrate on a party-vote campaign to break the 5 per cent threshold.

The party won 4.07 per cent of the vote in 2008 but because it failed to win any electorate seats - Mr Peters tried unsuccessfully to regain the Tauranga seat he lost in 2005 - the party ended up with no MPs in Parliament.

Yesterday, Mr Peters told TVNZ's Q and A programme the party had changed its constitution to exempt the leader and deputy leader from having to stand in an electorate.