National has revealed its party list ahead of next month's general election, with a largely unchanged top line-up and two new candidates ranked higher than many sitting MPs.
National Party leader Judith Collins. Photo: RNZ / Ana Tovey
It's headed by party leader Judith Collins, deputy leader Gerry Brownlee and finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith.
The remaining top 10 matches the party's caucus rankings, announced by Collins last month.
Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis, who were both ranked in the 40s at the last election, have skyrocketed to number seven and 13, reflecting the caucus line-up.
Alfred Ngaro has fallen to number 30 on the list - the only MP to be removed from the party's top 20 when compared with Collins' caucus rankings.
Ngaro is contesting the Te Atatu seat which is currently held by Labour MP Phil Twyford.
Collins is confident he will win the seat, "anybody can beat Phil Twyford".
When asked if Ngaro was moved down the list because he last year considered starting his own party, Collins said it wasn't something that was considered.
"We don't discuss what's happened in the list ranking committee. I think that we all understand that the National Party is a party of those who choose to be with us and everyone is very impressed by the hard work of our team," Collins said.
National Party president Peter Goodfellow said he was at the launch of Ngaro's campaign to win the Te Atatu seat.
"He had more hoardings out there...than his opponent and effectively there's no reason why he can't run such a strong campaign that he wins that seat," Goodfellow said.
The highest ranked person who is not a sitting MP is Nancy Lu at number 26 - she has been placed higher than more than a dozen incumbents.
Lu has a great background and is very strong in the "Nats sense", Goodfellow said.
"She's been in the private sector for five or six years, working with private companies. She has great connections with the Chinese community," he said.
The lowest ranked sitting MP is Jo Hayes at 44. This was to ensure the party has a good mix of skills and experience next term, Collins said.
"It was a decision made by the committee...we are also very confident we can get Jo back in as well. But it's very important to that we recognise that we've got new talent coming in as well," she said.
Maureen Pugh, who labelled "f…ing useless" by former party leader Simon Bridges, has been boosted up to 19 in the party list.
Pugh had been a "truly outstanding" local member of Parliament based on the West Coast, Collins said.
"She has shown incredible loyalty to the party, but also she has the deepest connections within that electorate. It is an electorate that the National Party should win, it is one where we represent the values of the people of the West Coast-Tasman area, far more than their current sitting electorate MP.
"We want to send a big signal to the West Coast that we value their choice in terms of Maureen and that we expect her to work very, very hard to make sure she gets that seat. But also, we want to say to her that her work has been valued," Collins said.
When asked if Pugh's party ranking was an apology for the comments made by Bridges, Collins said it was a very unfortunate situation.
"I'm sure you were as impressed as I was, and the whole team, the list ranking team, at Maureen's extreme graciousness and dignity in dealing with the leak of that very nasty recording," she said.
Former Air New Zealand boss Christopher Luxon, who is standing for the Botany electorate currently held by former National MP Jami-Lee Ross, is one of the lowest on the list of 75 at number 61.
"It's one of the safest seats in the country," Collins said.
"All our new candidates who are placed in very strong National seats have been...grouped together and that's because it didn't seem to hurt for John Key and it didn't seem to hurt for me, when we first came in as candidates," she added.
National has faced recent criticised for its lack of diversity in the Party. When asked how diversity factored into the decision making process, Collins said candidates were ranked based on "the merits, the talent, the hard work."
"It is important to represent New Zealand and we have gone some way to make sure that we do. We don't represent one particular group within New Zealand, we are the National Party for everyone," Collins said.
Party president Peter Goodfellow said National was "incredibly fortunate to be able to draw on such a diverse and experienced team of passionate Kiwis."
National's 2020 List:
1 Judith Collins - Papakura
2 Gerry Brownlee - Ilam
3 Paul Goldsmith - Epsom
4 Simon Bridges - Tauranga
5 Dr Shane Reti - Whangarei
6 Todd McClay - Rotorua
7 Chris Bishop - Hutt South
8 Todd Muller - Bay of Plenty
9 Louise Upston - Taupo
10 Scott Simpson - Coromandel
11 David Bennett - Hamilton East
12 Michael Woodhouse - Dunedin
13 Nicola Willis - Wellington Central
14 Jacqui Dean - Waitaki
15 Mark Mitchell - Whangaparaoa
16 Melissa Lee - Mt Albert
17 Andrew Bayly - Port Waikato
18 Dr Nick Smith - Nelson
19 Maureen Pugh - West Coast-Tasman
20 Barbara Kuriger - Taranaki-King Country
21 Harete Hipango - Whanganui
22 Jonathan Young - New Plymouth
23 Tim Macindoe - Hamilton West
24 Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi - Panmure-Otahuhu
25 Paulo Garcia - List
26 Nancy Lu - List
27 Parmjeet Parmar - Mt Roskill
28 Agnes Loheni - Mangere
29 Dale Stephens - Christchurch Central
30 Alfred Ngaro - Te Atatu
31 Matt Doocey - Waimakariri
32 Stuart Smith - Kaikoura
33 Lawrence Yule - Tukituki
34 Denise Lee - Maungakiekie
35 Simon O'Connor - Tamaki
36 Brett Hudson - Ohariu
37 Simeon Brown - Pakuranga
38 Ian McKelvie - Rangitikei
39 Erica Stanford - East Coast Bays
40 Matt King - Northland
41 Chris Penk - Kaipara ki Mahurangi
42 Tim van de Molen - Waikato
43 Dan Bidois - Northcote
44 Jo Hayes - Mana
45 Katie Nimon - Napier
46 Catherine Chu - Banks Peninsula
47 Hamish Campbell - Wigram
48 David Patterson - Rongotai
49 Lisa Whyte - New Lynn
50 Rima Nakhle - Takanini
51 Liam Kernaghan - Taieri
52 Bala Beeram - Kelston
53 Lincoln Platt - Christchurch East
54 William Wood - Palmerston North
55 Nuwi Samarakone - Manurewa
56 Mark Crofskey - Remutaka
57 Jake Bezzant - Upper Harbour
58 Mike Butterick - Wairarapa
59 Tim Costley - Otaki
60 Nicola Grigg - Selwyn
61 Christopher Luxon - Botany
62 Joseph Mooney - Southland
63 Penny Simmonds - Invercargill
64 Tania Tapsell - East Coast
65 Simon Watts - North Shore
66 TBC - Auckland Central
67 TBC - Rangitata
68 Adrienne Pierce - List
69 Senthuran Arulanantham - List
70 Sang Cho - List
71 Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau - List
72 Trish Collett - List
73 Ava Neal - List
74 Katrina Bungard - List
75 Shelley Pilkington - List
