Labour Party selects candidate for East Coast

From left, New Zealand Labour Party president Nigel Haworth, East Coast candidate Kiri Allan, Eastern Bay of Plenty Labour electorate chairwoman Anne Collins and Labour's Waiariki electorate candidate Tamati Coffey. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Paengaroa-raised commercial lawyer and business consultant Kiri Allan has been selected as the Labour Party candidate for the East Coast electorate.

She will take on incumbent National Party MP Anne Tolley in the 2017 general election.

The East Coast electorate covers the main centres of Whakatane, Opotiki and Gisborne.

Ms Allan was confirmed as the party's candidate on the weekend and said she was honoured by her selection and looked forward to representing the electorate in Parliament."

"East Coast is a large electorate made up of many strong communities and I will be working hard to make sure all these voices are heard loud and clear in Parliament," she said in a statement.

"We have seen the region lose decent jobs, affordable housing and investment in infrastructure under this government.

"It is harder and harder for families to make ends meet and that needs to change."

Sir Michael Cullen, former deputy Prime Minister and local party member said Ms Allan
was the ideal candidate.

"I'm delighted that Kiri has been selected as the candidate.

"She is intelligent, energetic, filled with compassion and aroha.

"Her experience, both professionally and personally, working in communities throughout the region gives her a depth of both expertise and personal connections that means she can be a genuinely effective voice particularly in this large electorate," Sir Michael said.

Labour Party general secretary Andrew Kirton said she joined a growing list of energetic and fresh candidates who will stand for Labour in 2017.

"Our focus is on electing a strong, Labour-led government next year that will rise to the challenge, back the Kiwi dream and build a better New Zealand," he said.