The party believes the time and money required to wage another election campaign would be better spent promoting key policies in areas such as climate change. The more pressing need to choose a replacement for departing co-leader Russel Norman may also be a factor.
Meanwhile, Mrs Prime is officially launching her campaign at the Kawakawa RSA at noon on Sunday. Speakers will include party leader Andrew Little and Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis.
National Party Northland delegates will elect their new candidate at a meeting in Kaikohe on February 28. They will choose between Mita Harris, Matt King, Grant McCallum, Mark Osborne and Karen Rolleston. Mr Harris, Mr King and Mr McCallum put their hands up for the job last time the seat was vacated, by the retirement of long-standing MP John Carter in 2011.
Robin Grieve, who stood in Whangarei in the 2014 election, will contest the seat for Act.
In the unlikely event that National lost the byelection, the Government would be placed in the awkward position of needing support from Peter Dunne or the Maori Party for controversial law changes such as its planned reform of the Resource Management Act.
