LET'S DO IT AGAIN: Hamish McDouall on the hustings during the 2011 election. Mr McDouall has been confirmed as the Labour Party's candidate for Whanganui for the 2014 election. PHOTO/FILE 221111WCBRCHF01
LET'S DO IT AGAIN: Hamish McDouall on the hustings during the 2011 election. Mr McDouall has been confirmed as the Labour Party's candidate for Whanganui for the 2014 election. PHOTO/FILE 221111WCBRCHF01
Wanganui deputy mayor Hamish McDouall will again dip his toes into parliamentary politics.
The second-term Wanganui District councillor has been given the nod by the Labour Party to stand in the Whanganui electorate for the 2014 election.
This will be the third time Mr McDouall has stood for Labour inthe electorate. He is hoping it will be third time lucky, after unsuccessfully challenging National's MP for Whanganui, Chester Borrows, in the 2008 and 2011 elections.
Mr McDouall, elected unopposed for the Labour candidacy, said he was confident of victory in next year's election.
"In the 2011 election, I reduced Chester's majority by 1500, and this was at a time when the tide was going out for Labour, so this is very encouraging for me."
Mr McDouall is upbeat about Labour's chances come election day.
"We have a new party leader, and in the latest poll Labour was only eight points behind National. The tide has turned, and the only question is whether all our hard work will pay off."
If he is elected, Mr McDouall is certain he will be able to juggle being an MP and a councillor.
"It may seem difficult to retain both roles, but it actually makes sense. If I am an MP I will be in Wellington and working with the Minister of Health, the Minister of Transport, and all those people who make decisions that affect Whanganui."
Mr McDouall said he knows of several MPs who at the start of their parliamentary careers also served as local councillors.
He said he is not "contemplating a lack of success" in his bid to represent Whanganui.
"However, if I'm not successful it would take an extraordinary set of circumstance for me to stand again. My wife has supported me the whole way, but this is my venture, and it impacts our whole family."
Mr McDouall is also a part-time lawyer at CLAW but will reduce his hours in the new year.
"I want to leave more time for my council duties and for campaigning," he said.
