Miss Milne, the deputy chairwoman of the West Coast Conservation Board,
gained a high national profile as the first female national president for Federated Farmers, serving from 2017 to 2020.
She first became involved in the organisation at grassroots level on the West Coast in 1991 and served as a board member and the West Coast provincial president before her national role.
In 2015, Miss Milne was named Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year and also won the rural category of the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.
Internationally, she gained profile serving on the board of the World Farmers Organisation (WFO) from 2018, representing Oceania. She was elected vice-president of the WFO in 2022, with a focus on empowering rural women.
Mrs Pugh said ideally her replacement would be someone with a high profile who could build on the groundwork done in the electorate since her tenure began — first as a list MP and then after wresting the seat off Labour’s Damien O’Connor in her historic win in 2023.
She said the party’s selection process was well in train and member meetings were taking place throughout the electorate so candidates for the nomination could introduce and promote themselves to the party faithful.
The final decision was likely by late April, Mrs Pugh said.
Mrs Pugh gave a bouquet to Jamie Cleine, who was confirmed last Sunday as the New Zealand First candidate for West Coast-Tasman.
She said the former Buller mayor’s profile at A&P shows throughout the electorate this past summer suggested his candidacy was already a done deal.
‘‘It’s not been a great secret,’’ she said.
NZ First is now championing a policy of returning 50% of mining royalties to the regions and Mrs Pugh said that was something she had also pushed.
‘‘I’m really heartened that we’ve got the support for that as a policy idea — and one I have been promoting for the last couple of years.’’
Mrs Pugh said National would be making a related announcement ‘‘very soon’’.
