Anderton considers Christchurch mayoralty

Jim Anderton. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Wigram MP Jim Anderton is not ruling out running for the Christchurch mayoralty but is undecided.

Media reports that he has agreed, or disagreed, to run for the 2021 party were wrong, Mr Anderton said.

The election is in October but nominations close in a few months.

The Progressive Party leader, also the party's sole MP, said there was a "great deal of unhappiness" about the council leadership in Christchurch and many people were considering running for the mayoralty.

"I'm one of those who is looking at it," he said.

Mr Anderton was on a "search party" to find a candidate.

"Some of the search party have kind of indicated that I might be the subject of the search," he joked. "In all these things you can never say never."

It was an "open question" whether he would run or not.

"I don't want to speculate, when I make a decision on this I'll be happy to say but I have made no decision."

Mr Anderton said he would make a "definitive" announcement within a couple of weeks.

"I don't want to give credence (to the rumours) until such time as there's something real to say and the truth is there's not.

"Having not even contemplated being a potential candidate I have to seriously think about a number of issues, not the least of which is that I happen to be a current MP."

One of those issues was whether he would retire from central government at the election next year. Mr Anderton is 72 years-old.

"When somebody asks you to do this (run for mayor) you can't say seriously that you're going to think about doing something like this and then carry on as a MP as well, but on the other hand I don't have to (run)."

"People have said that I'm either going to lose, or die, or stand down or retire or something for a long time now - they've all been wrong."

National MP Sam Lotu-Iiga was an Auckland City councillor when he entered Parliament.

While there may not be a law prohibiting an MP from becoming a mayor, Mr Anderton said he would have some ethical issues with it.

Were he to hold both positions he would not want to claim two salaries and would look at one going to charity or something similar.

Mr Anderton started his career in local politics. He was on the Manukau and Auckland city councils and was a member of the Auckland regional Authority.

He was first elected to central government in 1984 for the Labour Party. In 1989 he formed the New Labour party which in 1991 he led into the Alliance. And in 2002 he formed the Progressive Coalition party. He has held several ministerial portfolios, including agriculture.

- NZPA