Labour picks byelection candidate

Union organiser and business owner Georgie Dansey will contest the Hamilton West by-election for Labour. Dansey, Nga¯ti Tu¯wharetoa, is the chief executive of the Independent Schools Education Association and owns Te Awamutu business Body Fit Training. The former teacher was ranked 84 on the party’s list of candidates at the 2020 election. ‘‘The people of Hamilton West deserve to have a strong, progressive voice inside government. I can provide that voice,’’ said Dansey. ‘‘In this byelection I want the focus to be on accelerating progress for our community.’’ The December 10 byelection was called after the former Labour MP, Gaurav Sharma, was expelled from the party earlier this month, and thereafter stood down as a member of Parliament altogether.