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Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
ACT Party leader David Seymour with MP Karen Chhour.
The ACT Party has released its list for the election, with two sitting MPs moved down the list, a relatively unknown candidate placed at number four and another MP to leave Parliament.
It was announced that ACT MP James McDowall, who was absent from the list, is retiring at this election.
ACT leader David Seymour said McDowall was ”an MP who has served with distinction, particularly in his portfolio of immigration where he has considerable expertise”.
“However, James has a young family and has indicated to us that while he is very proud to have served the last three years in Parliament, he is not seeking re-election in 2023,” Seymour said.
“I fully understand and support his decision to step down from Parliament.”
A spokesperson said McDowall made this decision before he was ranked on the list.
Of the candidates not in Parliament, Todd Stephenson, who provides patients’ perspectives and input during drug development to pharmaceuticals has been catapulted to number four, while former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard is at number 5.
Ex-National MP Parmjeet Parmar is at number 9, while consultant Laura Trask is at 10.
MP Toni Severin has been moved down to 14 and Chris Baillie is at 17.
ACT leader David Seymour said ACT’s list was 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.”
ACT has 10 MPs in Parliament.
Earlier this week, ACT MP Damien Smith announced his intention to retire from Parliament at the election in October.
Seymour announced Smith’s decision, thanking him for his service and hard work.
“His distinctly Irish cheer and optimism will be missed, and the ACT caucus wishes him all the best for the future,” Seymour said.
ACT’s top 20 candidates, from its list of 55.
- 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
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