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Green Party says decision not to enter a candidate in a Mt Roskill by-election is to try and help prevent National winning

Green Party says decision not to enter a candidate in a Mt Roskill by-election is to try and help prevent National winning

The Green Party says it won't be standing a candidate in a Mt Roskill by-election, should incumbent Mt Roskill Labour Party MP Phil Goff win the Auckland mayoralty.

“The Green Party’s priority is changing the Government in 2017, and as part of that we’ve decided that we won’t stand a candidate in the probable Mt Roskill by-election,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“This decision shows the Memorandum of Understanding between Labour and the Green Party is working. The Mt Roskill by-election will be closely contested, and we don't want to play any role in National winning the seat," Turei said.

She said the Greens reached this decision after several weeks of internal discussions.

“The decision was made by the Green Party, and has no bearing on any other electorates or the 2017 election campaign,” Turei added.

Goff is favourite to win the Auckland mayoralty, with voting due to close on October 8.

Goff was the Mt Roskill MP from 1981 to 1990, winning the seat back in 1993 and holding it ever since. However, in the 2014 election National got 2000 more party votes than Labour in Mt Roskill. Goff has said if he wins the mayoralty he'll stand down as an MP immediately.

Labour's candidate in a by-election would be Michael Wood. National's would be Parmjeet Parmar.

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4 Comments

Great news that they are working together. Now they just need to introduce a Vancouver Tax and i am sure they will get across the line

The public is screaming for this please someone take the iniative

1. Classify foreign buyers correctly as they do in aus and cad. Inclide students and tenp workers
2. Tax foreign buyers and all companies and trusts 15% purchase tax on residental properties (new builds exempt)

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JP I think we need to be very cautious about thinking of the Vancouver tax being the being all and end all of this. I have a feeling it will get absorbed once there is not much option for foreign buyers if that sort of thing is taken up widely around the world. Getting in early is smart, though.

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The supply side needs addressing too. BRANZ are just a wall for Fletchers/Hardie/Carters. There needs to be a land tax so good land is not banked for decades.

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Michael Wood is a good person. The country will be better with him as an MP.

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