ACT coy on mystery No. 3 candidate on party list

ACT coy on mystery No. 3 candidate on party list

by Pattrick Smellie

Aug 28 (BusinessDesk) – The ACT Party has released its new party list with the covetable Number Three spot unfilled, while an unnamed big noter candidate confirms their availability.

With ACT credibly hoping for five Members of Parliament after the Nov. 26 election, as long as it wins the Auckland blue ribbon seat of Epsom, the third-ranked candidate has a reasonable prospect of becoming an MP, but cannot yet be named.

“The number three position is being held for someone who has the unanimous support of the board, and has strong credentials for the role, but is not currently in a position to confirm availability,” said party leader Don Brash, who is first on the party’s list.

The list ranks the order in which MPs will be chosen for Parliament, based on the party vote, unless they win an electorate seat or gain more than 5% party vote support, of which ACT falls well short on all opinion polls.

“I will not be commenting further on this position other than to confirm that the person concerned is not a current MP,” said Brash, in a press statement.

Number Two on the list is John Boscawen, the party's parliamentary leader since Brash toppled its previous leader, Rodney Hide, from outside Parliament.

Fourth on the list, and assured of a seat if ACT gets over the line in Epsom, is the former president of Federated Farmers, Don Nicolson, followed by the party’s Epsom candidate, John Banks.

The National Party is standing Paul Goldsmith in Epsom, but is urging Epsom voters to give Banks their vote. Goldsmith is believed to have been assured a high enough place on the National Party list, yet to be released, to become an MP.

(BusinessDesk)

(BusinessDesk) 15:34:41

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