National heavily represented on casualty list

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Seventeen MPs have lost their jobs in an election bloodbath that has been especially painful for the National Party.

National's debacle stripped it of 10 experienced MPs and cost it two electorates, although it regained one.

The casualties start at number 16 on the party list, with Gavan Herlihy. The Otago candidate lost his seat to Labour's David Parker by 796 votes.

The other National MP to lose his electorate seat was Hamilton East's Tony Steel, who lost to Labour's Dianne Yates by 402 votes.

Hamilton West candidate Bob Simcock failed to regain the seat he lost in 1999. He was too far down the list, at 17, to make it this time.

List MP Alec Neill, who was first elected to Parliament in 1990, was always going to get thrashed by Jim Anderton in Wigram. He drops out at 22 on the list.

Maungakiekie candidate Belinda Vernon, an MP since 1996, was 23rd on the list. She lost heavily to Labour's Mark Gosche.

Napier candidate Anne Tolley was 24th. She fought hard against Labour's Russell Fairbrother but lost by 3835 votes.

Eric Roy has been an MP since 1993. He lost the race in Invercargill against Labour's Mark Peck. At 26 on the list, he is gone.

Pacific Islander Arthur Anae was 28th on the list and therefore had to win the Manukau East seat to keep his job. He failed by 9375 votes.

Waitakere's Marie Hasler has been an MP on and off since 1990. At 32 on the list, she is gone.

One behind her was Annabel Young, an MP since 1997. She was a list MP and never had a hope.

The one bright moment for National was when dairy farmer Sandra Goudie took Coromandel from Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.

The next hardest-hit party was the Alliance, wiped out when leader Laila Harre failed to win Waitakere.

Also gone are Alliance deputy leader Willie Jackson, and Liz Gordon who has been contesting seats since 1993.

The Progressive Coalition lost John Wright, who was unable to take Waimakariri on Saturday, and Grant Gillon, who stood for Northcote.

Both had been in Parliament since 1996.

Act MP Owen Jennings failed to win Taranaki-King Country, and missed out on a list seat due to being ranked 12th.

The party also lost Penny Webster.

She failed to win Rodney, and was ranked 13th.

Full election coverage

Graphic: Seats in the 47th Parliament

Full election results

Election links:
The parties, policies, electoral information, and more