The ACT Party has revealed its list of candidates for the 2023 election - and there have been some major changes.
ACT leader David Seymour and deputy leader Brooke van Velden maintain their one and two positions, however Toni Severin (currently ninth) and Chris Baillie (currently fourth) take big falls down the list to 14 and 17 respectively.
Current MP Dr James McDowall doesn't feature at all, while Damien Smith has already announced he will retire from Parliament at the election.
ACT has 10 MPs, and polls point to it picking up even more later this year. May's Newshub-Reid Research poll gave ACT 14 seats, while the most recent Taxpayers' Union Curia poll gave ACT 17.
This success would see multiple newcomers to ACT's caucus. The mostly unknown Todd Stephenson has been given a prime spot on number four, while former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard sits at ACT's number 5.
Further down the list of newcomers, former National MP Parmjeet Parmar has been selected at number 9, Laura Trask is at 10, Tauranga by-election candidate Cameron Luxton at 11, AI lawyer Antonia Modkova at 12, Hamilton business owner Ash Parmar at 13, Ben Harvey at 15 and Hawke's Bay businessman Rob Douglas at 16.
Seymour said his party has announced a "talented and diverse team of Kiwis" to deliver "real change".
"ACT's list of candidates is a true representation of New Zealand society. There are farmers, legal experts, business executives, tradies, mothers and fathers, army lieutenants, policy experts, small business owners, teachers, engineers, licensed firearms owners and more," he said in a statement.
"Kiwis reading the news today see a country in terminal decline. Almost every part of life is becoming more expensive, less productive, and less safe. This year's election can't be about just changing the Government, it needs to be about changing the direction of the country.
"This is the team putting real change on the agenda. New Zealand can't afford to go through another term of Labour running down every aspect of society followed by National slowing the decline but ultimately keeping things the same. History tells us the courage to reverse Labour's policies and have real change won't exist unless ACT is a big part of the next Government."
ACT's list for the 2023 general election:
- David Seymour - Epsom
- Brooke van Velden - Tāmaki
- Nicole McKee - Rongotai
- Todd Stephenson - Southland
- Andrew Hoggard - Rangitikei
- Karen Chhour - Upper Harbour
- Mark Cameron - Northland
- Simon Court - Te Atatū
- Parmjeet Parmar - Pakuranga
- Laura Trask - Banks Peninsula
- Cameron Luxton - Bay of Plenty
- Antonia Modkova - Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
- Ash Parmar - Hamilton East
- Toni Severin - Christchurch East
- Ben Harvey - Selwyn
- Rob Douglas - Tukituki
- Chris Baillie - Nelson
- Christine Young - Tauranga
- Zane Cozens - Taupō
- Leo Foley - Northcote
- Anna Yallop - North Shore
- Lily Brown - Mana
- Mike McCormick - Papakura
- Andy Parkins - Hutt South
- Felix Poole - Maungakiekie
- Rahul Chopra - Mt Roskill
- Michael Howe - East Coast
- Ollie Murphy - Mt Albert
- Elaine Naidu Franz - Rangitata
- Keith Griffiths - Kaikōura
- Rae Ah Chee - Takanini
- Susan Stevenson - Hamilton West
- Anto Coates - Kaipara Ki Mahurangi
- Michael McCook - East Coast Bays
- Juan Alvarez de Lugo - New Lynn
- Pawel Milewski - Napier
- Neil Christensen - Port Waikato
- Dion Anderson - List
- Simon Angelo - Whangaparāoa
- Sean Beamish - Waitaki
- Scott Boness - Auckland Central
- Susy Bretherton - Whangarei
- Ross Campbell - Waimakariri
- Simon Casey - Wairarapa
- Jake Curran - Kelston
- Scott Donaldson - Invercargill
- Matthew Fisken - Christchurch Central
- Darren Gilchrist - Waikato
- Mike Harnett - Palmerston North
- Pothen Joseph - Mangere
- Kelly Lilly - West Coast Tasman
- Kevin Matthews - List
- Burty Meffan - Taieri
- Marten Rozeboom - Rotorua
- Sean Rush - Ōtaki
