Nomination may be quashed

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 9

Nomination may be quashed

By

CHRIS MOORE

The Labour Party constitution appears to quash a Christchurch women’s collective’s bid to win nomination for the Lyttelton seat. The Red Belle Labour Women’s Collective has announced it has been nominated for selection as the party candidate for the seat. The exact membership of the Sydenham-based group was not available. The collective is described as a group of “experienced and skilled women who have worked within the Labour Party for many years.” Positions of responsibility it has collectively held included the Labour Electoral Committee, the Canterbury Regional Council, and positions on the women’s council. “We have accepted the nomination as it promotes the collective principle. The collective also believes that given choices women work efficiently within a sharing and sup-

portive group,” said spokeswomen, Carolyn Payne-Harker and Susan Stewart. The political system was neither fair to individual members of Parliament nor to the people they represented. “Our nomination is a logical step forward if New Zealanders are serious about women’s full participation in all aspects of our community.” But the Labour Party’s consitution does not allow the acceptance of collective nominations. While nominations are accepted from any financial member of the party, it was not possible for a group of individuals to be nominated collectively, said a spokesman at party headquarters in Wellington last evening. Nominations for the Lyttelton seat will close at 5 p.m. tomorrow. About nine persons might seek nomination: Messrs Denis O’Rourke, a Public Trust lawyer; Steve Alexander, a former

Dunedin mayoral candidate; Bill Woods, a former Labour Party candidate for Selwyn; David Jones, a Lyttelton Harbour Board traffic manager; David Close, a Christchurch City Councillor, and Geoff Stone, a former Christchurch City councillor. Although Mr Woods was given permission to seek nomination for Lyttelton by his electorate committee, his eligibility was still being examined by party officials. The Christchurch City Council’s community adviser, Mr Alistair Graham, and a lawyer, Mr Peter Dyhrberg, are still considering seeking nomination. Mr Graham yesterday indicated he would make an announcement today. The Labour electorate chairman, Dr John Lewis, said yesterday that he had also been approached by another person from outside the electorate. A selection meeting will be held as soon as possible after nominations close this week.