Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Labour Party has released its list for the 2023 election, revealing a little-changed lineup.
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.
Four candidates - Nanaia Mahuta, Soraya Peke Mason, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, 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.
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 (Upper Harbour), 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)
- Cushla Tangaere-Manuel (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti)
- Soraya Peke Mason (Te Tai Hauāuru)
- Greg O'Connor (Ōhāriu)