National unveils party list ranking
Many sitting National MPs will be nervous about the party’s list which could see at least six out of Parliament unless it can win more than 40 per cent of the vote.
And if it manages to hold on to 40 of the 41 seats it won in 2017, it would still need 34 per cent to keep their finance spokesman, Paul Goldsmith, who’s ranked third.
But the list unveiled by leader Judith Collins and party president Peter Goodfellow yesterday provided few surprises with the top 21 mostly matching current caucus rankings.
Among those who could be out are Jo Hayes and Alfred Ngaro — with National needing to win 44 per cent to keep both. The most recent poll put it at 32 per cent.
Hayes, at number 44 and the party’s spokeswoman for Wha¯nau Ora and Ma¯ori development, dropped eight spots from the previous election’s list and is the lowest ranked MP. Hayes recently criticised the diversity on National’s front bench under its previous leader Todd Muller saying it was “not good enough”. But Collins said, “We’re very confident we can get Jo back in.”
Ngaro, spokesman for Pacific peoples, has dropped 10 spots to number 30. He’s against senior Labour MP Phil Twyford in Te Atatu¯ , which Collins called “very winnable” for National.
“Anyone can beat Phil Twyford, particularly if you’ve got a blue ribbon on them.”
Chartered accountant Nancy Lu is the highest ranked newcomer at number 26 and was given one of the few list-only slots National allows for.
Former Air New Zealand boss Christopher Luxon is at 61 to reflect he’s standing in Botany which Collins said was “one of the safest National seats in the country”.
Twelve National MPs are retiring at the election, including Nikki Kaye, Amy Adams, Paula Bennett and Anne Tolley, while disgraced Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon resigned for sending pornographic images to a teenager.