Prime unopposed as Labour's hope

Maungaturoto dairy farmer Grant McCallum yesterday put his name forward in the race to be the new National candidate for Northland. The party's nominations close on Thursday. Photo / Supplied

Willow-Jean Prime is expected to be confirmed today as Labour's candidate in the upcoming Northland byelection.

The byelection, which is due to be held on March 28, was called after the sudden resignation of National MP Mike Sabin just months into his second term.

Mrs Prime ran against Mr Sabin in last year's general election, which saw his majority trimmed by more than 2000 to 9300.

Hers was the only nomination received by Monday's deadline so the selection meeting scheduled for Saturday will not take place. Confirmation is due to take place at a members' meeting in Kawakawa tonight.

Mrs Prime, a lawyer, marae chairwoman and Far North District councillor, lives near Moerewa with her teacher husband and 3-week-old daughter.

She said she was putting her hand up again because she would be a strong advocate for Northland in Wellington, and because she had the skills and passion to do the job.

Meanwhile, the National Party's Northland electorate chairwoman, Rose May, said the number of people requesting nomination packs showed there was "quite a bit of interest" in contesting the seat for National.

Once nominations closed at noon tomorrow, the party committee would choose a shortlist of five to be announced on Saturday. Party delegates would select the new National candidate at a meeting in Kaikohe on February 28.

When the seat was last vacated, with the retirement of John Carter in 2011, the five to make the shortlist were Sarah Davies, Matt King, Ken Rintoul, Sabin and Mark Tan.

Since then Mr Rintoul has set up his own political party, Focus New Zealand, and Mr Tan has became a school principal and ruled himself out.

Mr King, an Okaihau farmer, fraud investigator and former owner of Mid North Honda, is understood to be planning a second tilt at the candidacy.

Ms Davies, a former YWCA manager now working for the St John national executive, is not standing.

Maungaturoto dairy farmer Grant McCallum put his name forward yesterday, saying he and his family had decided the time was right. If selected, he said he would be a strong voice for Northland in the National Government.

NZ First leader Winston Peters, who hails from Whananaki in the Northland electorate, has yet to announce whether he will contest the seat but has reportedly asked his party for approval. The Greens are due to decide this week.