New Zealand First: The party list and most likely newcomers

By THERESA GARNER

The legacy of the controversial New Zealand First party list selections may not be who off it gets into Parliament, but how many.

NZ First has suffered in the polls since it revealed its list in early November, with negative publicity over its axing of loyallist MPs, and its promotion of a candidate facing tax charges. The top five places are filled by Mr Peters and four male MPs.

The party's only remaining women MPs, Jenny Bloxham and Robyn McDonald are dumped way down the list, putting re-election out of reach, and the backlash included claims the party is a boys club. Ms McDonald called for leader Winston Peters to be replaced, while Mrs Bloxham used more colourful language. "Somebody's a dickwit, and you don't have to ask me who."

Loyalty had been considered a key trait within the party, which was left decimated by defections.

However party people were divided between those who thought the loyalists were badly treated, and those who think the lists should be used to broaden the range, and increase the calibre of candidates. Then the top woman candidate, Suzanne Bruce, whose seventh ranking made her a near certainty to become an MP was revealed to be facing charges of filing false GST returns.

The party gladly accepted the resignation of the dairy farmer, who had leapfrogged Mrs Bloxham (22) and Ms McDonald (20), for the place on the list.

Although Ms Bruce muddied the waters by questioning whether her own resignation was valid, party president Doug Woolerton insisted that it held.

Mr Peters said then that the election had become "grubby", and he later complained of a "smear campaign" against his people.

There have also been ructions over the high placing of party hopper Gilbert Myles, at number 10. Some party insiders hoped the party would not poll enough to get him in, and they may be in luck.

Based on the last New Zealand Herald-DigiPoll, in which the party dipped beneath the five per cent threshold, it needs to win an electorate to get any MPs at all. The pressure is thus on Winston Peters and Tutekawa Wyllie to hold their Tauranga and Te Tai Tonga seats.

Assuming the party gets six seats, there would be just one new face in Parliament, Northland Federated Farmers chairman Ian Walker.

The runner up would be Andrew Gin, a Christchurch GP.

A higher party vote could have given New Zealand its first blind MP, in Jonathan Mosen (11), and put party hopper Gilbert Myles back in the House.

Less than a quarter of the list are women, and former Hauraki Maori Trust Board chief executive Josie Anderson is at 9.

The only remaining MP in a Maori sat, Tutekawa Wyllie, decided not to go on the list, because he did not want to be there without a mandate.

Most likely new faces

Ian Walker

standing for Northland

Age: 43, married with two children.

Occupation: farmer

Policy priority: increasing the wealth of the country.

Highlight: awarded best consumer marketer while at Trigon in 1985.

Political hero: Winston Peters.

Leisure activity: fishing at Ninety Mile Beach.


Suzanne Bruce (resigned after court charges became public and will
take a seat).

Andrew Gin

standing for Ilam

Age: 38, single with one son.

Occupation: medical practitioner.

Policy priority: ensuring the Health Funding Authority is

accountable for taxpayers' money and not an 'entity unto

itself'.

Highlight: Being a father.

Political hero: Mother Theresa "who used politics in a way

that directly benefited people".

Leisure: Bike-riding in Hagley Park with his six-year-old son.

THE PARTY LIST>

1 Winston Peters MP

2 Peter Brown MP

3 Brian Donnelly MP

4 Ron Mark MP

5 Doug Woolerton MP

6 Ian Walker

7 Suzanne Bruce

8 Andrew Gin

10 Gilbert Myles

11 Jonathan Mosen

12 Kahukore Baker

13 Chris Comeskey

14 Allan Wise

15 Rob Harris

16 David Fowler

17 Chris Rivers

18 Pat O'Dea

19 Pita Paraone

20 Robyn McDonald MP

21 Bill Woods

22 Jenny Bloxham

23 Graham Adams

24 Dave Mackie

25 Wiremu Gudgeon

26 Anaru George

27 Robert Dixon

28 Gordon Stewart

29 Anne Martin

30 Brent Catchpole

31 Charles Crofts

32 Lorraine Anderson

33 John Ballantyne

34 Jerry Hohepa

35 Joy Brett

36 Dilip Rupa

37 Edwin Perry

38 Raymond Hina

39 Dawn Mullins

40 Mae Neuman