KEY POINTS:
New Labour MP Louisa Wall could pay the price of her party's use of the list to ensure different ethnicities are well represented in Parliament.
The former Silver Fern, who entered Parliament six months ago, is ranked at 43 on the party's list - giving her a borderline chance of re-entering Parliament after the election.
Yesterday she said she was not sure why she was ranked lower than several non-sitting candidates, but did not believe it was a judgment about her abilities.
She didn't deny she was disappointed, but "the Labour Party is made up of lots of different sectors and affiliates, they've gone through the process and that's where I am. This is a team, and I'm in with a fighting chance. Getting 42 seats isn't out of the realms of possibility."
Labour will need to get about 35 or 36 per cent of the vote for Ms Wall to re-enter Parliament. She was placed below eight candidates who are not at present MPs, despite being among the first tranche of the party's rejuvenation when she replaced Ann Hartley in Parliament earlier this year.
Both National and Labour openly use their list to increase representation of different groups - and Ms Wall's low ranking shows it can cost people with merit higher list placings.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said she was "surprised" Ms Wall was not higher.
"It is surprising that here is a young Maori woman who exemplifies the kind of people we want in Parliament but there's a ranking system which may mean she doesn't get back in. I think that's very hard."
Labour's top 40 includes six Maori, three Pacific Island, and three Asian candidates - compared to the National Party which has three Maori, three Asian, and one Pacific Island candidate.
Asked if there was a "quota" for Maori in the process, Prime Minister Helen Clark said "on average, in every sixth or seventh or eight place or so there will be a Maori candidate ranked". She would not give reasons for Ms Wall's placing, saying she was only one of the 37 on the moderating committee which drew it up.
Ms Wall said it would make her fight harder in the electorate.
Ms Wall was scolded just before she entered Parliament for saying she would campaign for the party vote rather than focus on winning the Tamaki Makarau electorate from Pita Sharples - a comment which ran against Labour's claims it had not given up on the Maori seats.
