Editorial: Foss move opens up Tukituki contest

Andrew Austin, Editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

IT IS certainly turning out to be an eventful end to the year in politics.

First we had Prime Minister John Key's bombshell resignation earlier this month and yesterday came the not-as-surprising news that our local Tukituki MP, Craig Foss, will pack it in at the next election.

This is an about-turn from Mr Foss' announcement earlier this year that he would seek a fifth term in Parliament since first being elected in 2005.

The game changer for him was almost certainly Mr Key's decision to go. Suddenly he was faced with the prospect of losing his ministerial positions with new Prime Minister Bill English under pressure to promote restless backbenchers. Many pundits saw Mr Foss as one of the National ministers who would be sacrificed for the new blood to come in.

Whether he jumped or was pushed is anyone's guess.

In the early days as an MP he enjoyed a golden run, finding favour in Wellington and also forming a good partnership in "Backing the Bay" with former Napier MP Chris Tremain.

However, in recent years his fortunes seemed to dip with the National Party hierarchy and also he seemingly lost his way on local issues, especially the Havelock North kura. Either way, his departure will make next year's Tukituki election very interesting indeed.

The Labour Party candidate, Anna Lorck, who was beaten by Mr Foss last time, must feel like she has been given an early Christmas present.

She has a lot of work to do to be more appealing to voters, but she has got a grasp on the local issues and it is easier to take a seat that is not occupied by an incumbent MP.

The crucial thing will be which candidate National puts up in Tukituki. They will have to go local and who knows, they may even consider shoulder-tapping a current mayor.

Watch this space. It will make for a very interesting contest.