Hon Jim Anderton

Progressive Party leader

30 September 2008

Progressive Party announces candidate list

The retention of locally-owned KiwiBank is the number one priority for all Progressive Party candidates, Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton said today.

He said the party believed in having the strength to care about the well-being of all in our society, and would be promoting policies that enhanced that principle.

"As a coalition member of the Labour-Progressive government, we have had considerable success in achieving our goals: we set up a New Zealand-owned bank; we got a fourth week of paid annual leave; we got paid parental leave; and helped get what is effectively full employment, almost completely eliminating youth unemployment - something people told me couldn't be done just 10 years ago."

Jim Anderton said the Progressives want a New Zealand with the strength to care.

"That is a New Zealand strong enough to care about the priorities New Zealand needs to address.

"We want an economy made strong by full employment with good quality jobs - that's why I took on the economic development portfolio, and now responsibility for the backbone of our economy, our primary industries sector.

"We want health and education systems that care for New Zealanders, we want housing to be affordable.

"And we want to care enough about our young people to offer them security and opportunity."

The Progressive Party would be standing 26 electorate candidates and 27 on the Progressive Party list, Jim Anderton said.

"I am delighted by the calibre of people standing as Progressive Party candidates. These are good people, committed to their families and communities, with the strength to care for all New Zealanders."

The full list is:
Jim Anderton, Cabinet minister (Wigram)
Matt Robson, barrister, (Maungakiekie)
Josie Pagani, communications consultant (Otaki)
Paula Gillon, masters student (list only)
Phil Clearwater, social worker (Port Hills)
Viv Shepherd, health worker (Whangarei)
Trevor Barnard, senior lecturer (Manukau East)
Brenda Hill, businesswoman (Northcote)
Craig Hutchinson, engineer (Ilam)
Justin Robson, tertiary student/musician (Auckland Central)
Jeffrey Ly, pharmacist (Pakuranga)
Suki Amirapu, marine engineer (Mt Roskill)
Prof Somnath Bagchi, academic senior consultant (Christchurch
Central)
Sukhdev Bains, taxi owner-operator (Manurewa)
Racheal Cheam, businesswoman (Botany)
Mohammad Kazemi-Yazdi, businessman (New Lynn)
Debbie Lucas, tertiary student (Palmerston North)
Claire Main, tertiary student (Waitaki)
Phillipa Main, farmer (Selwyn)
John Maurice, train controller (Rimutuka)
Jacqui McAlpine, technician (Dunedin South)
Dawn Patchett, barrister (Tukituki)
Tala Po'e, financial controller (Mangere)
Pavitra Roy, electronic engineer (Te Atatu)
Elspeth Sandys, author (Christchurch East)
David Somerset, scriptwriter (Wellington Central)
Ralph Taylor, chartered accountant (Tamaki)

Jim Anderton said the party was also unveiling two new websites, where it would be easy for people to get information about Progressive Party policy.

The first, the party's official website, is at www.progressive.org.nz

A campaign website is available at www.supportprogressive.org.nz

ENDS

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