Nominations for Avon seat to be reopened

Press, 24 September 1983, Page 1

Nominations for Avon seat to be reopened

Parliamentary reporter

Nominations will be reopened for the Labour seat of Avon.

The Labour Party Council meeting in Wellington yesterday rejected the two other options before it: appointing the sitting member, Mrs Mary Batchelor, or her challenger, Mr Paul Piesse; or appointing from a wider field.

The party president, Mr Jim Anderton, told reporters yesterday that the council had fully and carefully considered the report of the selection committee and made its decision. He would not elaborate further except to say that no case had been put to the council of any breaches of selection rules. Nominations would be open for one month from yesterday.

Mr Anderton was the chairman of the selection committee whose report was presented to the council.

Mr Anderton said yesterday that the council decision opened the field right

up. He refused to comment on the closeness of the vote or whether it was unanimous. He also declined to comment on whether the contesting option was to reappoint Mrs Batchelor. On September 15, the

evening of the Avon selection meeting, the selection committee was deadlocked, the three Christchurch votes going to the trade unionist, Mr Piesse. Talks into the early morning failed to resolve the tie and it was referred to the council. Mrs Batchelor has maintained that the local membership of the selection committee did not reflect the opinion of the electorate.

Mrs Batchelor said last evening that she would decide next week if she would seek renomination for the seat she has represented for 11 years.

Mrs Batchelor said she would also decide whether to stay with the Labour Party or stand as an Independent.

She would seek nomination only in Avon.

Labour would lose votes by the party council’s decision not to renominate her, she said.

“I suspect their decision will have serious effects in the local body elections and next year’s General Election,” she said.

The feeling in the electorate had been “strongly” for her renomination, she said. Mrs Batchelor, who was

not in Wellington when the decision was made, said she wanted to know more about what happened at the council meeting.

The number of nominations received could hinge on Mrs Batchelor’s decision.

One possible candidate, Mr David Close, a Christchurch City Councillor, said last evening that he would not run against Mrs Batchelor. Ms Vicki Buck, a fellow City Councillor and chairman of its finance committee, had said earlier that she too would not oppose the sitting Labour member.

Both Mr Close and Ms Buck were noncommittal about what they would do if Mrs Batchelor stood as an Independent. Mr Paul Piesse, the trade unionist who has proved the most serious challenger so far, will definitely seek the nomination.

Mr Wes Cameron, the president of the Canterbury Trades Council, is also believed to be interested. He was runner-up in the recent Sydenham electorate selection.

When Mrs Batchelor won the Avon nomination in 1971, 18 persons vied for it. The seat has a 7620 Labour majority.