Labour releases party list for election

Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ
Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ

The Labour Party has released its list for the 2023 election, revealing a little-changed line-up.

The list confirms candidates vying for electorate seats, and - depending on the party vote in the election and the number of electorate seats already taken - determines who can also get into Parliament, based on their ranking.

All the current Cabinet ministers and the Speaker of the House are either in safe seats or have been given winnable list placings, on current polling.

The most dramatic changes include former Cabinet minister Michael Wood - who may now be relying on his electorate or a lift in the polls to get back in - and bringing Willow-Jean Prime to the front bench.

Wood has dropped from being ranked 30th to 45th after exiting Cabinet over failures to declare and sell shares related to his portfolios despite repeated reminders.

On current polling Labour could return 43 (1News-Verian) or 46 seats (Newshub Reid Research), putting Wood in danger of being turfed out of Parliament if he fails to regain his electorate seat of Mt Roskill.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins elevated Youth and Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime to Cabinet in February, and she has now been lifted to the front bench, from 18th to 9th.

MP for New Plymouth Glen Bennett has been the deputy chairperson of the Economic Development Select Committee, and shoots up from 59th on the list to 29th.

The sitting Speaker traditionally does not contest an electorate and that is true for Adrian Rurawhe - who moves up from 24th to 11th, securing his position.

However, there are some sitting MPs who will struggle to return given their placement on the list.

They include Anna Lorck (40th), Angie Warren-Clark (43rd), Liz Craig (44th) and Sarah Pallett (51st).

The highest place on the list for a newcomer is Georgie Dansey at number 31. She contested the Hamilton East electorate during the by-election following Gaurav Sharma's resignation, losing to National's Tama Potaka.

Three candidates - Nanaia Mahuta, Soraya Peke Mason and Greg O'Connor - are also running electorate-only races, relying on winning their seat to get into Parliament.

Two new list-only candidates have also been revealed - Nick Ruane and Deborah Rhodes - but on current polling neither seems likely to be voted in.

The general election will be held on Saturday, October 14.

Labour's list 

1 Chris Hipkins (Remutaka)

2 Kelvin Davis (Te Tai Tokerau)

3 Carmel Sepuloni (Kelston)

4 Grant Robertson

5 Megan Woods (Wigram)

6 Jan Tinetti (Tauranga)

7 Ayesha Verrall

8 Willie Jackson

9 Willow-Jean Prime (Northland), up from 18

10 Damien O'Connor (West Coast-Tasman), down from 9

11 Adrian Rurawhe, up from 24

12 Andrew Little, down from 10

13 David Parker, down from 11

14 Peeni Henare (Tāmaki Makaurau), down from 12

15 Priyanca Radhakrishnan (Maungakiekie), down from 14

16 Kieran McAnulty (Wairarapa), down from 15

17 Ginny Andersen (Hutt South), down from 16

18 Barbara Edmonds (Mana), down from 17

19 Jo Luxton (Rangitata), up from 23

20 Duncan Webb (Christchurch Central), down from 19

21 Rino Tirikatene (Te Tai Tonga), down from 20

22 Deborah Russell (New Lynn), down from 21

23 Rachel Brooking (Dunedin), down from 22

24 Jenny Salesa (Panmure-Ōtāhuhu), up from 25

25 Tangi Utikere (Palmerston North), up from 26

26 Camilla Belich (Epsom), up from 27

27 Tracey McLellan (Banks Peninsula), up from 28

28 Shanan Halbert (Northcote), up from 29

29 Glen Bennett (New Plymouth), up from 59

30 Vanushi Walters (Vanushi Walters), up from 36

31 Georgie Dansey (Hamilton East), new candidate

32 Dan Rosewarne (Waimakariri), up from 51

33 Naisi Chen, up from 40

34 Anahila Kanongata'a (Papakura), up from 44

35 Angela Roberts (Taranaki-King Country), up from 47

36 Tāmati Coffey (East Coast), up from 39

37 Ibrahim Omer (Wellington Central), up from 43

38 Neru Leavasa (Takanini), up from 48

39 Toni Boynton (Waiariki), new candidate

40 Anna Lorck (Tukituki), up from 61

41 George Hampton (North Shore), new candidate

42 Rachel Boyack (Nelson), up from 52

43 Angie Warren-Clark (Whangārei), down from 38

44 Liz Craig (Invercargill), down from 42

45 Michael Wood (Mt Roskill), down from 30

46 Terisa Ngobi (Ōtaki), up from 58

47 Helen White (Mt Albert), down from 46

48 Arena Williams (Manurewa), up from 53

49 Phil Twyford (Te Atatū), down from 32

50 Steph Lewis (Whanganui)

51 Sarah Pallett (Ilam), up from 56

52 Ingrid Leary (Taieri), up from 54

53 Lemauga Lydia Sosene (Māngere), down from 49

54 Parewhati Taikato (Bay of Plenty), new candidate

55 Estefania Muller-Pallarès (Whangaparāoa), new candidate

56 Fleur Fitzsimons (Rongotai), new candidate

57 Reuben Davidson (Christchurch East), new candidate

58 Nick Ruane, new candidate

59 Fesaitu Solomone (Tāmaki), new candidate

60 Mark Hutchinson (Napier), new candidate

61 Nerissa Henry (Pakuranga), new candidate

62 Myra Williamson (Hamilton West), new candidate

63 Oscar Sims (Auckland Central), new candidate

64 Aladdin Al-Bustanji (Taupō), new candidate

65 Gwendoline Keel (Port Waikato), new candidate

66 Kharag Singh (Botany), new candidate

67 Emma Dewhirst (Kaikōura), new candidate

68 Zulfiqar Butt (Rangitīkei), new candidate

69 Ben Sandford (Rotorua), new candidate

70 Simon McCullum (Southland), new candidate

71 Guy Wishart (Kaipara ki Mahurangi), new candidate

72 Deborah Rhodes, new candidate

73 Jamie Toko (Waikato), new candidate

74 Luke Jones (Selwyn), new candidate

75 Beryl Riley (Coromandel), new candidate

76 Ethan Reille (Waitaki), new candidate

Electorate only:

Nanaia Mahuta (Hauraki-Waikato)

Soraya Peke Mason (Te Tai Hauāuru)

Greg O'Connor (Ōhāriu)