Candidate keeps Alliance flag flying

Napier election candidate Mary O'Neill, the Alliance Party's only candidate this year in any of the electorates throughout the country. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier election hopeful Mary O'Neill shapes as one of the more unique candidates in next week's general election - she was one of the country's lowest-polling candidates in the last election and a lone candidate for a party which once had 13 MPs.

But the Alliance Party candidate isn't letting a little adversity stand in her way and she's ready to take on the battle on behalf of those struggling to find work.

It's almost 20 years since the then single Mrs O'Neill left home in Europe, working in mainly volunteer roles in Australia and Pacific islands, before finally settling in New Zealand with new husband Thomas O'Neill, a Food and Service Workers Union organiser in Napier.

She became in touch with the social policies of the Alliance, which had been formed and had its heyday well before she arrived.

She became a campaign manager for an Alliance candidate in the Tukituki electorate in 2008, and at the last election stood in Napier, claiming just 48 votes.

In Napier yesterday, breaking from the degree studies which she's continued through the campaign, she said she's most concerned about young people's ability to get jobs.

Thus she carries the party flag for the "three Es" of Equality, Employment and Environment, the anchors of the party manifesto, For the Common Good.

Everybody, Mrs O'Neill says, is entitled to equal rights to equality in social welfare, health, and education systems, and sees most of that disappearing if state assets continue to be sold.

Ms Kay said: "The left needs to work together to make sure this doesn't happen. The Alliance Party is willing to do our part. Not only will we not stand a list, we have conveyed to our members that we are happy for them to campaign for other parties on the left, except in Napier electorate."

Developed first as a grouping of Labour Party offspring New Labour, the Democratic Party (formerly Social Credit), the Greens and Maori Party Mana Motuhake, the Alliance has contested every general election since 1993, when it was represented by Labour deputy leader and deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton and MP Sandra Lee.

After the first MMP election three years later, the Alliance had 13 MPs, after securing 10 per cent of the party vote.