KEY POINTS:
Steven Joyce, National's 2005 election campaign manager and a millionaire, is to stand on the party's list.
Prime Minister Helen Clark was quick to condemn the nomination, saying Mr Joyce's appointment demonstrated that National still had a far-right agenda it wasn't being honest about.
Party president Judy Kirk dismissed the attack as "just politics".
Ms Kirk said Mr Joyce, along with Melissa Lee, a Korean-born television broadcaster, would get spots as list-only candidates. There are a maximum of five such positions which are usually ranked high on the list.
Mr Joyce, who was also the party's general manager, was one of the key background players featured in Nicky Hager's 2006 book The Hollow Men, which made disclosures about former leader Don Brash's links with the Exclusive Brethren.
The book detailed Mr Joyce's involvement in meetings with the shadowy religious group, in using controversial Australian political strategy company Crosby-Textor and approving billboards such as Iwi-Kiwi.
The book also said Mr Joyce offered to pay for lobby-group Fairtax's direct marketing campaign and went into how donations were gathered.
Miss Clark said the list position "must be a reward for being part of the Hollow Men, raising the money, organising the Brethren.
"What I think it really shows is nothing has changed about the National Party... I think that the selection of Mr Joyce shows that the forces behind the Hollow Men and the new right agenda are as active as they ever were in the National Party."
Ms Kirk told NZPA that Mr Joyce was a fantastic candidate and Miss Clark's remarks were just politics.
Asked about his role in the 2005 election she responded: "We always work within the law and we will continue to do so." And, now that electoral law had changed, National would work within those rules, she said.
After the 2005 election, Mr Joyce went to work for Jasons. The company announced today Mr Joyce was resigning from his Jasons Travel Media chief executive position.
Mr Joyce was former chief executive of RadioWorks New Zealand, a company he co-founded in the late 1980s.
National leader John Key said the party would benefit from Mr Joyce's political and business experience.
"Steven Joyce has over a number of years played an important role in the rejuvenation of the party, and in accepting the board's nomination to stand for Parliament on National's list, this contribution is set to continue in the years ahead."
Jasons' chairman Geoff Burns said Mr Joyce would share his responsibilities between Jasons and politics in the lead-up to the election, particularly until a new chief executive was selected and inducted.
Mr Joyce would stay involved with the company as a consultant to the board and management through the transitional period.
"Through his company Joyce Investments, Steven is our second-largest shareholder," Mr Burns said.
Mr Key said Ms Lee was an outstanding candidate and the list gave an opportunity to select people from diverse backgrounds.
Ms Lee produced and hosted television show Asia Downunder and has recently completed a feature film.
Mr Key has previously said he was keen to have more Asian representation in the party.
"The Asian community plays an increasingly significant role in our country's growth for the future," he said today.
- NZPA
