Candidate selection to be contested

There will be a race to replace retiring Labour MP Clare Curran in Dunedin South, the party confirming there will be a contested selection to be its candidate in the general election.

The Otago Daily Times understands at least three people have aspirations to contest what is perceived as being safe Labour territory, although proposed electorate boundary changes would bring more rural, traditionally National-voting areas into the electorate.

University of Otago computer science academic Simon McCallum is known to have put his hat in the ring for the candidacy, but Labour would not disclose how many candidates there were, or their identities.

Local branches needed to confirm nominations and check a nominee’s eligibility before further details were released, a spokesman said.

Auckland Central, Manurewa and Otaki were other seats where there was expected to be competition for the Labour candidacy, party president Claire Szabo said.

"With a popular prime minister, a Labour-led Government and an agenda that is making real progress for New Zealand, this is an exciting time to be a Labour member and we are seeing that reflected in the number of people wanting to stand to be MPs."

Once the eligibility of all nominees had been confirmed, timelines for the selection processes would be finalised, Ms Szabo said.

The other main parties are also working on their candidates.

Some southern National candidates, Jacqui Dean in Waitaki and Sarah Dowie in Invercargill, have already been named. Nominations for National’s Dunedin South candidate close tomorrow.

The Green Party and New Zealand First have yet to announce any southern candidates.