MP Michael Woodhouse, left, and Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ
Long-serving National MP Michael Woodhouse has announced his surprise "departure from political life" after being unhappy with his ranking in the party's election-year line-up.
National leader Christopher Luxon announced the party's updated list on Saturday afternoon with the top 15 spots mostly unchanged since his caucus reshuffle in January.
But Woodhouse, previously ranked at 16, was notably absent from the list altogether.
In a post on Facebook, Woodhouse said he had withdrawn his name after learning where he would have been ranked.
"It was clear from the ranking offered that I was not part of the leadership's thinking regarding ministerial positions, so I feel the best thing to do is to stand aside and allow a fresher face into the Caucus from the list.
"I do so somewhat sad about the process of my departure from political life but overwhelmingly grateful to have been able to serve the people in the party I love for the past 15 years."
Talking to reporters in Wellington, Luxon said he had spoken directly with Woodhouse this afternoon.
"He made it very clear to me that he wanted to withdraw from the list," Luxon said. "I fully respect his decision to do that."
National Party MP Michael Woodhouse contributes to Parliament's Standing Orders Committee consideration as they hear evidence on the 2023 Review of Standing Orders. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Luxon refused to reveal what ranking Woodhouse was offered, or whether he was right in assuming he would not have been a minister.
"I'll make a decision about Cabinet on the other side of the election. You'll have to wait for that."
Luxon also paid tribute to Woodhouse's "fantastic" contribution to the party and Parliament.
"I wish him really well... he has done it all in his political career over 15 years ... he's been a senior minister in the Key and English governments holding really important portfolios, and he's played a really important role in our team in opposition."
Woodhouse - a list MP - will continue to contest the Dunedin electorate, but he is not expected to beat Labour candidate Rachel Brooking.
The Dunedin seat and its previous iteration Dunedin North has been in Labour hands since 1928, barring one term in 1975.
In 2020, Labour's David Clark got 53.7 percent of the vote in that electorate, compared to Woodhouse's 19.2 percent.
Scott Simpson and Stuart Smith, previously ranked 18 and 19 in caucus, have plummeted to 55 and 56, but both are likely to hold on to their seats of Coromandel and Kaikōura respectively.
Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell, who has courted controversy since entering Parliament in a by-election last year, is ranked 57.
There are 21 women and 19 men in National's top 40.
First term MPs Penny Simmonds, Simon Watts and Nicola Grigg are ranked at 16, 17, and 19. National senior whip Chris Penk is ranked 18.
Nancy Lu, a chartered accountant, is the highest ranked non-MP at 20, followed by farmer Suze Redmayne, transport manager Katie Nimon and marketing executive Catherine Wedd.
Luxon told reporters he was very happy with gender and ethnic diversity achieved in the party's list.
"I want to make sure that we encourage the National Party to embrace more diversity. We didn't get that in the 2020 election given it was a such a poor result.
"It's very important to me that we have diversity, I think we build a stronger party."
The latest polling suggests National is on track to bring in about 44 MPs.
National is the last major party to publish its list, following Labour, the Greens and Act.
National Party list 2023
1. Christopher Luxon - Botany
2. Nicola Willis - Ōhāriu
3. Chris Bishop - Hutt South
4. Shane Reti - Whangārei
5. Paul Goldsmith - Epsom
6. Louise Upston - Taupō
7. Erica Stanford - East Coast Bays
8. Matt Doocey - Waimakariri
9. Simeon Brown - Pakuranga
10. Judith Collins - Papakura
11. Mark Mitchell - Whangaparāoa
12. Todd McClay - Rotorua
13. Melissa Lee - Mt Albert
14. Gerry Brownlee - List
15. Andrew Bayly - Port Waikato
16. Penny Simmonds - Invercargill
17. Simon Watts - North Shore
18. Chris Penk - Kaipara ki Mahurangi
19. Nicola Grigg - Selwyn
20. Nancy Lu - List
21. Suze Redmayne - Rangitīkei
22. Katie Nimon - Napier
23. Catherine Wedd - Tukituki
24. Tama Potaka - Hamilton West
25. Agnes Loheni - List
26. Maureen Pugh - West Coast-Tasman
27. Emma Chatterton - Remutaka
28. James Christmas - List
29. Dale Stephens - Christchurch Central
30. Siva Kilari - Manurewa
31. Harete Hipango - Te Tai Hauāuru
32. Rosemary Bourke - Māngere
33. Frances Hughes - Mana
34. Paulo Garcia - New Lynn
35. Blair Cameron - Nelson
36. Barbara Kuriger - Taranaki-King Country
37. Tracy Summerfield - Wigram
38. Hinurewa te Hau - Tāmaki Makaurau
39. Angee Nicholas - Te Atatū
40. Vanessa Weenink - Banks Peninsula
41. Rima Nakhle - Takanini
42. Ruby Schaumkel - Kelston
43. Mahesh Muralidhar - Auckland Central
44. Dana Kirkpatrick - East Coast
45. Scott Sheeran - Wellington Central
46. Navtej Singh Randhawa - Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
47. Carl Bates - Whanganui
48. Carlos Cheung - Mt Roskill
49. Matthew French - Taieri
50. Matt Stock - Christchurch East
51. Karunā Muthu - Rongotai
52. Ankit Bansal - Palmerston North
53. Joseph Mooney - Southland
54. Simon O'Connor - Tāmaki
55. Scott Simpson - Coromandel
56. Stuart Smith - Kaikōura
57. Sam Uffindell - Tauranga
58. Tim van de Molen - Waikato
59. Miles Anderson - Waitaki
60. Dan Bidois - Northcote
61. Mike Butterick - Wairarapa
62. Cameron Brewer - Upper Harbour
63. Hamish Campbell - Ilam
64. Tim Costley - Ōtaki
65. Greg Fleming - Maungakiekie
66. Ryan Hamilton - Hamilton East
67. David MacLeod - New Plymouth
68. Grant McCallum - Northland
69. James Meager - Rangitata
70. Tom Rutherford - Bay of Plenty
71. Felicity Foy - List
72. Janelle Hocking - List
73. Kesh Naidoo-Rauf - List
74. Senthuran Arulanantham - List