Labour selects Helen White to replace Jacinda Ardern in Mt Albert seat

The Labour Party has selected lawyer Helen White as its candidate for the Mt Albert electorate in the 2023 general election.

A resident in the electorate for the past 34 years, White said she is looking forward to bringing local knowledge to her candidacy.

“We have had such stellar MPs here, but the hard thing about that is that they’ve been really busy. I need to make sure that I’m really listening to people here,” White said.

“Some people are really worried about intensification,” she said.

READ MORE:
* What will become of Mt Albert without an MP?
* Election 2020: Who’s who in Auckland’s most hotly contested races
* Jacinda Ardern promises not to forget Mt Albert

Adding to housing issues in the area is the number of red and yellow stickered homes following flooding in January and February.

“I know how dramatic that was and some of the stories around the neighbourhood. I know the businesses that have been completely wiped out by water torrents,” said White, who hoped she could be a source of support for those affected.

The fatal stabbing of a Sandringham dairy worker in November had been frightening for the electorate, she said.

“People were really talking around those issues in quite compassionate ways.”

Previously held by two of New Zealand’s three female prime ministers, the seat is regarded as one of the safest Labour seats in the country. But White isn’t taking anything for granted.

“We have to work really hard for the people in all electorates. It’s a wonderful thing when a lot of people align with your values, but you have to gain their respect.”

White worked as an employment lawyer before entering parliament on the Labour list following the 2020 election, during which she was pipped for the Auckland Central seat by the Green Party’s Chlöe Swarbrick.

White said she is relishing her stomping ground has fewer apartments than Auckland Central which will make it easier to connect to people when she is out door-knocking in the run-up to the October contest.

In a statement, White acknowledged fellow contender for the seat, list MP Camilla Belich, and outgoing Mt Albert MP Jacinda Ardern.

“Jacinda will go down as one of New Zealand’s great Prime Ministers and she has made such a difference in the lives of local people over her years as the MP for Mt Albert.

“I am looking forward to being a strong voice for Mt Albert inside Chris Hipkin’s government. The Prime Minister’s focus on the bread and butter issues that matter most to families is exactly what our local area needs,” White said.

Labour Party President Jill Day described Belich as a “valued member” of the caucus team, who she said will continue to make a huge contribution to the Labour government.

“We had a real contest for this seat,” Day said in a statement.