The Labour Party is struggling to find a candidate to stand in Tauranga at the general election in November.
Eric Goddard, from the party's head office in Wellington, conceded that 'people are not breaking down the doors” for the position.
He says the party may have to use someone already on the party's list, but that person will not live locally.
'There will always be a Labour option for people,” says Eric.
'I think it's important for people to have that option both in the electorate and party vote level because it starts to become a bit of a disservice to them if the big parties start giving up on seats entirely – and especially because Tauranga is a seat we could win.”
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce events coordinator Anne Pankhurst stood as the party's candidate at the 2008 election.
Former Tauranga Girls' College teacher Sally Barrett was the candidate at the 2005 election and former speaker of the house Margaret Wilson contested the seat at the 1999 and 2002 elections.
The Labour Party has not won the electorate since 1938.
'We have an entire nomination process to go through,” says Eric, 'but people will not only be shoulder tapped, but will also seek advice from the wise old heads of the party so there can be a lot of political work done before any official nomination comes through to us at head office.”
A candidate will need to be selected at least a month out from the November 26 election.
Confirmed candidates in the city include incumbent MP Simon Bridges for National, Brendan Horan for New Zealand First and Ian McLean for the Green Party.
20 comments
Stale major parties
Posted on 10-06-2011 08:40 | By ronillian
It seems odd that a major party cannot find a candidate whereas the Green Party can find a person who appears to be a very credible, intelligent candidate. Could it be that at least one (and in opinion BOTH) of the major parties are stale and do not have solutions for the big changes ahead presented by Climate Change and peak oil? I know who I'll be giving my electorate and Party vote to!
And they expect people to vote Labour!
Posted on 10-06-2011 10:15 | By Openknee8ted
Very sad party. Maybe the so called minor parties are not that minor, when you look at the quality candidates they have.
We need to keep MMP!
Posted on 10-06-2011 10:57 | By Otters
Well said, Ronillian (and Openknee8ted!)This highlights why we need to keep MMP. Without it, none of the non-National voters within the Tauranga/BoP electorates will have any voice in parliament. Okay, MMP as it stands isn't perfect, it does need 'tweaking', but that is exactly what the referendum is for. Voting for MMP enables it to be reviewed to make it work better, and gives those of us who do not wish to support the Smiling Assassin (and who haven't fallen for the charms of Simon and Tony!) a voice.
When will Kiwis wake up?
Posted on 10-06-2011 12:44 | By SpeakUp
After decades of political ping-pong by National and Labour, and looking at where New Zealand stands today, it seems crucial that a new party can garner support for a new way into the future. That party will need to go back to basics and cut back on the ballooning public service, the over-regulation of private life and enterprise, the tax burden, the vicious exposure to international banking vices (debt) and the general entitlement culture. We WILL get there eventually, one way or another. NB: That new party is not even yet founded.
Why would you run?
Posted on 10-06-2011 13:05 | By Chris
Has a Labour candidate EVER won in Tauranga? Has anyone other than a National candidate ever had anything close to success? Why would you bother running - unfortunately the grey-haired lot rule this city, so there's little point in voting for anyone else. I guess the Greens get my electorate vote this time.
party vote Green
Posted on 10-06-2011 13:43 | By Otters
Me too, Chris!
helios
Posted on 10-06-2011 14:33 | By Helios
Well Chris, seems that you're still in napkins. Unfortunately you too will get grey hair in not too distant future. See if you make any difference when your time comes. Greens are exactly what it says, GREEN, and when they get some sence of the real world, things will carry on along the present path with National and Labour putting the country in a mess. It looks like your lot found this column very useful to drum up your political support.
Run Run as fast as ....
Posted on 10-06-2011 15:49 | By maggie.farmer
Maybe running is what we all have to do...(to get up to speed ie.) Labour candidate to cover the electorate well sooner than a month out from voting and younger voters to figure out how to put a tick on the page. Can't win when your classmates abstain or got the date wrong!
Finding a candidate who can think will be even harder
Posted on 10-06-2011 15:53 | By The Tomahawk Kid
Hooray! Although a better headline would be: Labour has struggle to find a candidate to "THINK!" Standing is EASY - THINKING requires a little more effort. A suggestion would be to ask the "BLUE" party for one seeing as there is very little difference between them these days (apart from the colour)
Labour gives up on local representation
Posted on 10-06-2011 16:25 | By Steve Morris
It's not just Tauranga, The majority of Labour MPs are list MPs. They only hold 21 of the 70 electorate seats. The fact is that Labour MPs like Darren Hughes, Damian O'Connor, Steve Chadwick, Sue Moroney, Stuart Nash and so on were rejected by their communities only to get in on the party list! - Distorted democracy
Democracy should be seen AND heard
Posted on 11-06-2011 11:19 | By IanM
Give credit where it is due folks. We should thank those earlier candidates, and their support teams, for the enormous (voluntary) effort involved in running a campaign. Labour may be struggling to find a candidate for Tauranga, but the democratic process is a lot of fairly unrewarding hard work for the individuals involved who do not get their candidate elected. We are very lucky to have MMP, which delivers support for the party even in seats where there is little chance of being elected. Tauranga might consistently vote blue, but the reality is, that if or when there is a deep sea drilling accident off our eastern coast, the National voters will suffer the messy consequences just the same as everybody else. The record shows that a blue shield will not protect anybody from environmental disaster. But a Green shield just might.
ASK BOB THE BUILDER?
Posted on 11-06-2011 16:50 | By MISS ADVENTURE
He is looking for a "new cause" and is accustomed to jumping ship at the drop of a hat, he would then get to have a go at both Simon and Winstone all on the same day and place, that would be great to see happen, come on BOB put out get the job done ...
CHAMELEON
Posted on 12-06-2011 16:53 | By THE RING MASTER
The only challenge for Bob with all of this is what will the colour be tomorrow?
Drinking Buddies
Posted on 12-06-2011 18:42 | By Scambuster
Try Darren Hughes he was used to carousing & partying with Simon so that should be a good stoush.Go for it
@ STEVE MORRIS
Posted on 13-06-2011 09:33 | By YOGI
Yes agreed, and it is a false hope of the public that MMP means democracy still exists when 50% of MP's are choosen by the party machine and not the electorate.
Posted on 13-06-2011 16:05 | By The Tomahawk Kid
@IanM: A green shield would send us all back to the dark ages, taking rights away from people and giving rights to trees and animals. And just in case you were unaware, Rights are only attributable to those capable of understanding the meaning of the concept. A green shield would remove your rights and your property just as fast as a blue or a red shield would. This sheild you talk about is not a sheild at all (a shield is something that protects you, not something that inflicts threats and force upon you). Oh dear - no wonder we are heading up the creek without a paddle
LOVE A GREEN SHIELD
Posted on 13-06-2011 17:29 | By Vomit
At least they don't know anything about credit cards and borrowing money like the current lot at TCC, where do i vote for them ?
SAVE A TREE
Posted on 13-06-2011 23:33 | By DRONE
Money is made from paper (at least a 'green' back is) so less spending means a few more trees left.
14GK
Posted on 17-06-2011 09:29 | By 14GK
It never ceases to amaze me how virile some folk get over political parties. My friends & colleagues probably think of me as a political activist but I can't believe how such a simple story as this results attacks on other parties. It's simple really, Labour hasn't got a candidate for Tauranga - yet. It seems there's a lifetime of hate against anything other than blue or red or more latterly, green, yellow and so on. Hell, every Government has done good & bad but all seemingly believe they've done "better" while always promising to do "better". Damn MMP. If you want true proportional representation have a close look at Supplementary Member. Seems way fairer to me.
@ 14gk
Posted on 18-06-2011 08:19 | By WOMBLE
Need a better way ... Government of COuncil the result is the same that the results fail to measure up to the promises, so correct the colour is of no imporatnce as the tar brush needed is the same
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