5.00pm
The Destiny Party has chosen one of the country's more liberal electorates as its first political target.
The political branch of the controversial Destiny Church will stand a candidate in Christchurch Central, currently held by openly-gay Labour MP Tim Barnett.
Christchurch local and Bone Marrow Transplant Trust CEO Allison Nicol will stand.
Destiny
party leader Richard Lewis says just because the current MP is openly-gay does not mean the electorate will not vote for a more conservative candidate.
He claims there is growing awareness of the need to return to family values, and concedes there is a major clash of philosophies between the two candidates.
Mr Lewis says Destiny believes marriage-centred families are crucial to the future of New Zealand, and alleges Mr Barnett believes quite the opposite.
He says the Destiny Party will be focusing on the electorate vote at the next election, and hopes to announce more candidates over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett will not be losing any sleep over news of his challenger at the next election, also remembering that Destiny promised he would be its first political target after Prostitution Law Reform.
He points out that the electorate has voted for an openly-gay candidate at the past three elections.
Mr Barnett says he has never been obsessed by his sexuality, but suspects the Destiny candidate will be.
He also dismisses Destiny claims that he is against the family.
Tim Barnett says the Civil Union Bill is about strengthening relationships, to encourage more family-orientated values.
- Newstalk ZB
