Hamilton West MP Gaurav Sharma explains to Newstalk ZB's Andrew Dickens why he chose to quit parliament as an Independent MP, and where his future lies in politics. Video / Newstalk ZB
Former Hamilton mayor Andrew King is out of the running to become National’s candidate to contest the Hamilton West byelection, the NZ Herald understands.
It is unclear whether King withdrew voluntarily or was told to pull out of National’s pre-selection process ahead of the byelection on December 10, forced bythe resignation of former Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma.
King would not comment when contacted by the Herald, other than to say it was an internal matter for the party.
A shortlist of National’s possible candidates for Hamilton West will be released in the coming days.
Contenders, previously reported by the Herald, included business director Rachel Afeaki–Taumoepeau and health professional Dr Frances Hughes.
Former National Party MP Tim Macindoe, who was the electorate MP from 2008 until 2020 and was initially understood to be in the running, last week confirmed he was not seeking the candidacy.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon is confident the party's Hamilton West members have heard his call for more diversity ahead of the byelection in December. Photo / Mike Scott
National leader Christopher Luxon has repeatedly referenced his commitment to improving diversity within the party, particularly after the mockery over the photos of the four Pākehā men in blue suits who comprised National’s shortlist to contest the Tauranga byelection earlier this year.
“We’ve [got] a lot of work to do in the National Party and that’s why we’ve gone through candidate selection and our processes to make sure we’re getting rid of unconscious bias, we’re opening up to new talent pools,” Luxon said.
Luxon had recognised the final decision on candidacy sat with local party members, but said he had “set expectations” on the profiles he wanted added to the caucus.
While he couldn’t guarantee National’s pick for the Hamilton West byelection would represent the priority placed on diversity, Luxon was confident it would be shown in the party’s candidates for next year’s general election.
Over the weekend, Dr Hamish Campbell, a medical researcher, was selected today to contest Christchurch’s Ilam electorate in next year’s general election, chosen from a shortlist of five contenders.
The Ilam electorate was established in 1996 and held by National MP Gerry Brownlee until the 2020 election when he lost to Labour’s Sarah Pallett.
Dr Hamish Campbell is the National Party's candidate for Christchurch electorate of Ilam for the 2023 General Election. Photo / Supplied
In other selection battles, National’s New Plymouth candidate will be selected today - its former MP Jonathan Young opted not to stand again. One contender was former Taranaki Regional Council chairman David MacLeod, who was up against the Waikato-based Ritesh Chandra.
National’s Tāmaki candidate will be one of three men, current MP Simon O’Connor, Auckland Harvard-educated lawyer Andrew Grant and Sang Cho, owner of St Heliers restaurant Annabelles.
It was the first time O’Connor had been challenged in the safe blue seat since he won in 2011. The electorate covered Auckland’s inner eastern bay suburbs - Mission Bay, St Heliers, Kohimarama and Glendowie - and was the seat of former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon.
James Meager, of the Ngāi Tahu iwi, has recently been selected by local party members as National’s Rangitata candidate for the general election.
It comes after the Act Party’s board has decided the party will contest the byelection and should confirm its candidate later this week.
Last week, The Opportunities Party announced it would also enter the race, choosing candidate Naomi Pocock.
Pocock, 47, was unsuccessful in Hamilton East in the 2020 general election, finishing fourth behind current MP Jamie Strange from Labour, National’s David Bennett and Greens’ Rimu Bhooi.
The Labour Party was expected to confirm its candidate tonight with Georgie Dansey, currently the electorate chair for the party’s Hamilton East electorate, among those understood to be in the running.
