Simon Walker seeks nomination

Press, 13 March 1987, Page 4

Simon Walker seeks nomination

Wellington reporter

The former television interviewer and Labour Party publicist, Simon Walker, has confirmed that he will seek the nomination for the safe Labour seat of Pencarrow in Wellington. Mr Walker, who is 33, paid tribute last evening to the electorate’s retiring member of Parliament, the Minister of Works, Mr Colman.

"Like Fraser Colman, I hope to be an effective local member,” he said. Mr Walker, a former director of communications for the Labour Party and director of its research unit while in Opposition, now heads his own Wellington public relations firm. He is a member of the

Labour Party Policy Council but missed selec-

tion for the executive at last year’s party conference. As a television interviewer in the 19705, Mr Walker clashed publicly with the then Prime Min. ister, Robert Muldoon. ' He is married, with one son. Other confirmed nominations for the Pencarrow candidature are a local body representative,

Mr Grant Moffat; Mrs Helene Ritchie, a Wellington City councillor who competed for the Christchurch Central selection with Mr Geoffrey Palmer; and Labour’s candidate at the 1981 election for the Auckland seat of Albany, Mr Bryan Mockridge. Selection is expected to take place in May.