Locals from Tauranga give their reaction to the resignation of their MP.
Three people have already put their hands up to replace Simon Bridges as MP for Tauranga.
They include a Labour minister, an independent, and ACT's candidate from the last election - but NZ First leader Winston Peters is staying tight-lipped.
On Tuesday, Tauranga MP of 14 years Bridges announced hewas quitting politics to pursue commercial opportunities and spend more time with his children.
His decision will spark a byelection - at an expected cost of about $1 million - in what has long been considered a safe National seat.
Jan Tinetti, Labour list MP, Minister of Women's Affairs, Internal Affairs and Associate Education Minister. Photo / NZME
National Party president Peter Goodfellow said the party would follow its usual process to select a local candidate, including quickly appointing a campaign chairperson and wider campaign team.
Party delegates from the Tauranga electorate would select the candidate from nominees after conducting three meet-the-nominees meetings.
The party was working on a timetable for this and would announce it once confirmed.
He said it had "big shoes to fill" with Bridges' departure, but he would not comment on individuals who may or may not consider applying.
Tauranga-based Labour list MP Jan Tinetti said she had signalled to her party she was "very keen" to stand as its candidate.
Tinetti, a former Merivale School principal and second-term MP, is the Minister of Women's Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Associate Education Minister.
She ran for the Tauranga seat in 2019 and placed second, just over 2000 votes behind Bridges.
"I'm absolutely committed to Tauranga and always will be, and very keen to put my name forward but there is still a lot of work to do and a democratic process to follow before a candidate is selected," she said.
"No matter what the outcome I will always be committed to Tauranga and continue to fight for Tauranga and its future."
Cameron Luxton intends to put his name forward as a nominee for the Act Party to contest the Tauranga by-election. Photo / NZME
Cameron Luxton, who stood as the Act Party candidate for Tauranga at the last election and placed fourth, said he intended to put his name forward to the party again to contest the byelection.
Luxton said there was a constitutional process for the party to work through to select its candidate, which he expected could take about 10 days.
Luxton said he would not be surprised if there were more people keen to stand for the "very popular seat" as independent candidates.
Act Party leader David Seymour said the party's process involved consulting with local members and taking nominations, among other steps.
"First and foremost we need to have a vacancy. While Simon Bridges says he intends to resign, I understand the Speaker of House does not yet have any formal notification."
Seymour said he thought the party would "more than likely" contest the byelection as Tauranga "encapsulated" Act values and it had growing membership there.
The Green Party has yet to decide whether it will stand a candidate - a decision a spokesman said was for the members of the local branch to make - but 2019 candidate Josh Cole said he was out as he was busy with other projects.
In a radio interview former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of NZ First Winston Peters refused to say whether he will stand for the Tauranga seat - which he held for years but battled Bridges for in 2008 and lost.
Peters told The Country's Jamie Mackay he would let him know when he made up his mind.
He said his phone had been "running red-hot".
"It was astonishing," said Peters.
"I've been putting out all sort of press statements and things like that and being treated with a total boycott from the media until Simon Bridges said he was going to resign the other day."
Christchurch-based Peter Wakeman intends to contest the Tauranga electorate by-election. Photo / Supplied
Christchurch-based Peter Wakeman, 62, who described himself as a "natural justice campaigner" said he would stand as an independent candidate in the byelection.
Wakeman said his first foray in politics was an unsuccessful bid for the seat in the 1993 Tauranga byelection, won by Peters.
He said he thought his chances of success had "never been so high" as there was "a lot hurt" in the Tauranga community" with homelessness, poverty and other social issues.
Wakeman said he believed voters were looking for an independent candidate not "more of the same" from the major political parties.
The Bay of Plenty Times also approached Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi for comment.
Byelection process and cost
An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said when an MP resigns, the Speaker of the House publishes a notice of the vacancy in the New Zealand Gazette and the Prime Minister decides the byelection date and announces it.
Within 21 days of the vacancy being published, the Governor-General issues a writ directing the Electoral Commission to hold a byelection
The writ sets out the timetable for the process and the writ is returned with the name of the successful candidate within 60 days, the Commission spokesperson said.
"Generally speaking, looking back at past byelections, byelections are usually held around eight weeks after the vacancy is declared by the Speaker.
"In terms of cost, the average byelection costs about $1m and there could be some added cost in terms of managing the Covid-19 restriction rules needed, she said.
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