Election 2023: A Hawke’s Bay MP in waiting? Act, Greens confirm candidates

Rob Douglas is not expected to challenge for the Tukituki seat, but he's right on the bubble of Parliament as of latest polling. Photo / Act

Rob Douglas could well make it to Parliament, regardless of who wins the Tukitiuki electorate.

Douglas, a property broker who lives in Havelock North, is number 16 on the Act party list for the 2023 General Election.

On present polling, Douglas, who is the nephew of Act founder and former Labour cabinet minister Sir Roger Douglas, is right on the bubble.

Polls indicate Act might get enough of the party votes to bring 14 to 17 MPs into parliament later this year.

At 25 on the Green Party list, newly-announced Tukituki candidate Nick Ratcliffe potentially faces a tougher row to hoe.

Newly-announced Tukituki Green Party candidate Nick Ratcliffe potentially faces a tough row to hoe.

An Englishman, who moved to Hawke’s Bay from Auckland in 2016, Ratcliffe is currently retraining as a carpenter following a career in agriculture. Polls suggest the Green Party could end up with 12 MPs.

The race for Tukituki is expected to come down to Labour incumbent Anna Lorck and National Party challenger Catherine Wedd.

The Greens do not have a candidate in the Napier electorate. James Crow, who stood in 2020, recently withdrew from the race and no Napier candidate has been named on the party’s list.

Polish immigrant Pawel Milewski was confirmed as Act’s candidate in that electorate, after being named at 36 on their list.

A structural engineer by trade, Milewski has lived in Hawke’s Bay since 2010.

The retirement of former cabinet minister Stuart Nash sees Mark Hutchinson inherit the Labour nomination, while National will be represented by Katie Nimon.