The Labour Party is busily selecting candidates for electorates throughout the country. The interest is intense. Seats where normally candidates have to be persuaded to stand are having quite intense selection contests. For instance last night Labour selected its candidate for the newly created Upper Harbour seat. The successful candidate is lawyer Hermann Retzlaff who showed commendable organisational ability and skill in his campaign. The seat ought to be a safe National seat but the response of the locals to previously proud to be a westie Paula Bennett is unknown. To cap things off it is likely that Christine Rankin will the Conservative Party candidate. Although the seat should be a safe seat given a likely high intensity Conservative campaign and a well organised Labour campaign nothing should be discounted.
Hermann managed to edge out Claire Szabo in the contest for the candidacy. She is the chief executive of Habitat for Humanity. She is an impressive woman with considerable skills and I am sure she has a bright future in the party.
And tonight is the Kelston selection. The candidates are former MP Carmel Sepuloni and current Whau Local Board member Ruby Manukia-Schaumkell. Carmel almost performed a miracle last election and just about toppled Paula Bennett from the Waitakere seat. Ruby was one of the successful candidates who were swept into office on a progressive tide out west at the last local body elections. They are both very capable candidates. The winner will almost inevitably be the next MP for Kelston.
Currently they are giving speeches in front of a packed hall with 200 members.
I will update this post with the result.
Update: and the winner is …
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress
