Willie Jackson fails to lift ranking on Labour's list

High-profile broadcaster Willie Jackson has failed to have his ranking on Labour's list improved and is below a group of four new women candidates.

The first Maori MP on the list is Willow-Jean Prime at number 16 - ahead of Jackson, who has lost out to new women and candidates that will improve Labour's ethnic diversity.

Jackson was promised a high ranking by leader Andrew Little, who is likely to defend Jackson's placing, given he is effectively the 8th list MP, assuming Labour holds onto its 27 electorates.

Labour Party general secretary Andrew Kirton tweeted about the list this morning:

Former Police Association president Greg O'Connor will need to take Ohariu off United Future leader Peter Dunne to become an MP, after being ranked at 40.

Labour this morning released its list after a delay caused by Jackson's unhappiness with his placing at 21, which saw him fly to Wellington for a hastily called meeting last night.

Jackson is behind other new candidates - policy adviser Priyanca Radhakrishnan (11), school principal Jan Tinetti (14), district councillor Prime and commercial lawyer and business consultant Kiri Allan (20).

Radhakrishnan is standing in Maungakiekie, Tinetti in Tauranga, Prime in Northland and Allan in East Coast. Little isn't contesting an electorate and is number one on the list.

David Parker (9) and Raymond Huo (12) are other MPs reliant on the list and will almost certainly return to Parliament after September's election. But veteran MP Trevor Mallard will need Labour to get about 33 per cent of the party vote in order to return to Parliament after being ranked at 32 (effectively the 12th list MP).

The Hutt South MP chose to step aside and go list-only and is Labour's nomination for Speaker in the next Parliament.

Mallard's replacement in Hutt South, Ginny Anderson (27) faces a tough job retaining the seat against National's Chris Bishop. Rangitata candidate Jo Luxton (28), Invercargill candidate Liz Craig (30) and Rodney candidate Marja Lubeck (31) are all ranked higher than Mallard.

Labour has committed to at least 50 per cent of MPs being women, and its ruling council must consider that aim when making the selections.

The overall percentage of party vote and number of seats won determines how many candidates are elected from a party's list.

Former policy adviser Radhakrishnan jumps 12 places since the 2014 list and is now almost assured of becoming an MP, whether or not she upsets National candidate and Auckland councillor Denise Lee in Maungakiekie.

Assuming Labour wins the same 27 electorates it currently holds, if it secures around 30 per cent of the vote newcomers would be Radhakrishnan, Tinetti, Prime, Allan, Jackson and Luxton.

At closer to 35 per cent of the party vote Craig, Lubeck, Mallard, Tamati Coffey, Jamie Strange and Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki could join them.

Labour's six MPs in Maori seats have opted to go off the list and stake their re-election on winning their electorate.

Who's on the list?

1 Andrew Little

2 Jacinda Ardern

3 Grant Robertson

4 Phil Twyford

5 Megan Woods

6 Chris Hipkins

7 Carmel Sepuloni

8 David Clark

9 David Parker

10 Stuart Nash

11 Priyanca Radhakrishnan

12 Raymond Huo

13 Iain Lees-Galloway

14 Jan Tinetti

15 Aupito William Sio

16 Willow-Jean Prime

17 Damien O'Connor

18 Jenny Salesa

19 Kris Faafoi

20 Kiri Allan

21 Willie Jackson

22 Clare Curran

23 Ruth Dyson

24 Poto Williams

25 Louisa Wall

26 Michael Wood

27 Ginny Andersen

28 Jo Luxton

29 Deborah Russell

30 Liz Craig

31 Marja Lubeck

32 Trevor Mallard

33 Paul Eagle

34 Tamati Coffey

35 Jamie Strange

36 Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki

37 Kieran McAnulty

38 Angie Warren-Clark

39 Helen White

40 Greg O'Connor

41 Steph Lewis

42 Duncan Webb

43 Lemauga Lydia Sosene

44 Janette Walker

45 Anna Lorck

46 Romy Udanga

47 Rachel Boyack

48 Sarb Johal

49 Naisi Chen

50 Shanan Halbert

51 Dan Rosewarne

52 Jin An

53 Jesse Pabla

54 Hilary Humphrey

55 Tony Savage

56 Brooke Loader

57 Ben Sandford

58 Kurt Taogaga

59 Heather Warren

60 Sam McDonald

61 Cherie Chapman

62 Ala' Al-Bustanji

63 Baljit Kaur

64 Linsey Higgins

65 Barry Kirker

66 Tofik Mamedov

67 Michelle Lomax

68 Nathaniel Blomfield

69 Gaurav Sharma

70 Anthony Rimell

71 Tony Condon

72 Sarah Packer

73 Andy Begg

74 Corie Haddock