Labour announces electorate candidates

The Labour Party has moved early to confirm a list of electorate candidates for next year's election.

Labour has confirmed 17 candidates, with others having received a nomination but awaiting rubber stamping in 10 more electorates.

Charles Chauvel has again been confirmed as the Ohariu candidate, which he lost narrowly in 2008 to UnitedFuture's Peter Dunne and was not helped by the fact the Green Party took a chunk of the left votes with its candidate Gareth Hughes.

Another close battle is likely to be in Otaki, where Labour's Darren Hughes lost the electorate to National's Nathan Guy by 1354 votes.

Maryan Street is awaiting confirmation she is again likely to take on National's Nick Smith in Nelson, an electorate which Dr Smith comfortably held in 2008, while Sue Moroney will stand in the Hamilton East electorate held by National's Tim Macindoe.

Young Labour MP Jacinda Ardern will stand in the Auckland Central seat won by her young National counterpart Nikki Kaye in 2008.

Party president Andrew Little, who has indicated he may stand himself in the New Plymouth seat currently held by National's Jonathan Young, said there was a mix of experience and up and coming talent among candidates and the party planned to have all remaining electorate candidates selected by the end of the year.

Confirmed electorate candidates;:

Auckland Central, Jacinda Ardern; Christchurch Central, Brendon Burns; Dunedin South, Clare Curran; Hamilton West, Sue Moroney; Maungakiekie, Carol Beaumont; Napier, Stuart Nash; Ohariu, Charles Chauvel; Otaki, Darren Hughes; Palmerston North, Iain Lees-Galloway; Port Hills, Ruth Dyson; Rangitata, Julian Blanchard; Rimutaka, Chris Hipkins; Rongotai, Annette King; Tukituki, Julia Haydon-Carr; Waitakere, Carmel Sepuloni; West Coast-Tasman, Damien O'Connor; Wanganui, Hamish McDouall.

The following have one candidate nomination received and electorate organisations are due to hold their confirmation meetings shortly:

Hutt South, Trevor Mallard; Invercargill, Lesley Soper; Mana, Winnie Laban; Mangere, Su'a William Sio; Mt Albert, David Shearer; Mt Roskill, Phil Goff; Nelson, Maryan Street; New Lynn, David Cunliffe; Te Atatu, Chris Carter; Te Tai Tokerau, Kelvin Davis.

Selections will occur over July and August in the following electorates where more than one nomination has been received:

Northcote, Paula Gillon, Richard Hills; Te Tai Tonga, Joanne McLean, Rino Tirikatene.

- NZPA