Act lineup mirrors its bid to represent rural sector

By CHRIS DANIELS

Act's push to become the party of rural New Zealand is reflected in its country-focused party list.

Its top 10 candidates include horticulturist Donna Awatere Huata, former Federated Farmers president Owen Jennings, the federation's former Auckland provincial leader, Penny Webster, and farmer Gerry Eckhoff.

However, the big new star of the list is not a farmer but high-flying Wellington corporate lawyer Stephen Franks, who raced to No 3 on the Act list and is certain to become an MP.

Overall the list reflects Act's aim to become a natural representative of the rural community. Its policies on gun control, Treaty of Waitangi settlements and relaxing the resource management act are all popular among farmers.

Act is now polling around 10 per cent. With only Richard Prebble likely to win an electorate seat, the party's other MPs in the new Parliament will be coming off its party list.

If the 10 per cent poll support translates to party votes, Act can expect to have 12 MPs represented, six of them already in Parliament.

Act's 24 per cent second place in last year's Taranaki-King Country byelection has shown the party it can make good ground in rural seats, often by "cannibalising" votes from its National Party ally.

One of the party's founders, Derek Quigley, is stepping down and Patricia Schnauer is also getting out of politics this election after only one term in Parliament.

Act has a fairly white list - Donna Awatere Huata, at No 4, is the only Maori, the party concedes.

The list does, however, include two Asians, a Pacific Islander and an Indian, although too far down to stand much chance of getting into Parliament.