Northcote by-election on June 9

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the Northcote byelection will be held on June 9 – and has revealed the date was chosen, in part, because it doesn’t clash with when she is due to give birth.

The Auckland seat is vacant after the resignation of National MP Jonathan Coleman, who has left to take up a job in the private health sector.

National’s nominations closed last Tuesday and president Peter Goodfellow said the party would select a shortlist of five from those who had put their hand up before final selection this Sunday.

Labour’s nominations close tomorrow and the frontrunner is tipped as Shanan Halbert, who stood against Coleman at the last election and trimmed his majority from 10,000 to 6000.

National is expected to hold on to the seat given the size of its majority at the last election.

But, it could turn into a referendum on Auckland fuel taxes and transport issues, which have been a hot topic in recent weeks.

The Government is proposing a fuel tax increase of between 9c and 12c a litre to fund new land transport plans that focus on investing in road safety and rapid rail.

The tax would be a double whammy for Aucklanders, who can also expect Auckland Council to introduce about 10c a litre in regional fuel taxes to pay for major transport projects.

Ardern said she would spend as much time as possible campaigning in the seat. She noted it would be held before her due date: ‘‘That’s the reason it’s not June 17.’’