Rise on party list boost for Labour's hope

Hamish McDouall Photo/File

With the Green Party not fielding a candidate in the Whanganui electorate and his elevation on his party's list, Labour candidate Hamish McDouall has a few more reasons to be optimistic in the build-up to this year's general election.

When Labour released its list yesterday Mr McDouall found he had been bumped up 11 places to No41 and he said he was more than comfortable with that.

"It's pretty much where I thought I'd be, in a band between 37 and 42. There are a number of very competent and experienced people competing in that band and I can't see any justification for me being higher than that," he said.

"And there was a focus of getting more gender equality in caucus which means there are more positions available for women so those have been filled by several women with doctorates, and all with key specialties."

If Mr McDouall is to rely solely on his list position to get him into Parliament then he said it meant Labour would have to secure something like 36-37 per cent of the party vote.

"We're shy of that currently on the polls but things tighten closer to the election. I'm still getting out there asking for two ticks that's for sure."

He said the decision by Greens not to stand a candidate in Whanganui was "really exciting" because it reduced the paper majority of incumbent National MP Chester Borrows by a "good margin".

"It really means Whanganui's in play. So I've got about 90 days before the election.

"We've got teams out door-knocking ever day. And there was a great sense of optimism among the 200 people who attended my campaign launch," he said.

Mr McDouall said he had some environmental credentials that could appeal to the Greens, including his work as an environmental lawyer.