Samoan Attorney-General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff has resigned from his job to shift back to New Zealand in order to seek selection for a Labour Party seat, the Herald understands.
The seat he has his eye on is the newly proposed seat of Flat Bush in South Auckland.
He stood for Labour in 2014 against National's deputy leader, Paula Bennett, in Upper Harbour.
The new Flat Bush seat takes in part of the existing electorates of Papakura, Hunua and Manurewa.
On paper it is thought to be leaning towards National but is also considered marginal.
National list MP Agnes Loheni is said to be one of those interested in getting the selection for her party although because the seat has yet to be formed it may be the last selection for both National and Labour.
Former Samoan Attorney-General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff. Photo / Twitter
Boundaries are set to be finalised by the Representation Commission in late April.
Retzlaff has been Attorney-General in Samoa for four years until his sudden resignation last week.
According to the Samoan Observer, Retzlaff worked in the Public Defence Service in Auckland, Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore and was a past president of the Pacific Lawyers' Association.
National list MP Agnes Loheni. Photo / Michael Craig
His father, Misa Telfoni Retzlaff, was Attorney-General of Samoa in the 1980s.
Sitting Manurewa MP Louis Wall is facing a selection battle against two contenders, lawyer Arena Williams and Ian Dunwoodie, who stood against Wall when she first won selection in 2011 after the retirement of George Hawkins.
Meanwhile, Mana MP Kris Faafoi has been assured of a winnable place on the list before deciding to relinquish his seat.
Manurewa MP Louisa Wall. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The nomination for his seat is likely to go to a woman in order to help the party to achieve 50 per cent women MPs.
The election is on September 19.
Arena Williams is one of those challenging Louisa Wall. Photo / LinkedIn.
Mana MP Kris Faafoi at Titahi Bay. Photo / Mark Mitchell
