Shane Reti reconfirms he is standing for Nats

Dr Shane Reti cuts the ribbon at the unveiling of Te Kakano, the Hundertwasser Art Centre folly. Dr Reti has confirmed he is standing again in the general election. PHOTO/NZME

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DR IN THE HOUSE: National wants Dr Shane Reti to stand again for Whangarei. (Photo/Michael Cunningham)

Shane Reti, the National MP for Whangarei, will be standing for the electorate again in the September general election.

Dr Reti yesterday confirmed his re-selection by the National Party and vowed to campaign hard to retain the Whangarei seat.

His comments came after Chris Leitch, the Whangarei-based deputy leader of Democrats for Social Credit, said ''a National Party insider'' had tipped him off that polling showed a big drop in support in Whangarei.

Mr Leitch also suggested that Dr Reti had indicated he did not want to carry on in electorate politics. Dr Reti, who has held the electorate for one term, denied the claim and said he believed he had a good chance of retaining the seat.

Another confirmed candidate for the Whangarei electorate is Tony Savage for Labour.

Former Labour MP Shane Jones has also been widely tipped to stand in the electorate for New Zealand First, but both he and the party are remaining tight-lipped on his candidacy.

NZ First leader and Northland MP Winston Peters has refused to be drawn on the matter, saying the selection process was for the party to decide, not him.

Mr Peters said party nominees would be announced earlier this year than for previous elections.