ACT Party list mystery with No. 3 spot left blank

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ACT MP Hilary Calvert has dropped off her party's list - with a mystery candidate unconfirmed in the number three spot.

It's understood the candidate is businesswoman and former party president Catherine Isaac. Her husband business roundtable director Roger Kerr is suffering from an aggressive form of skin cancer.

The party released its list for the November 26 election this afternoon after the board deliberated for most of the weekend.

Party leader Don Brash takes the top spot with parliamentary leader John Boscawen, who is standing in Tamaki, at number two.

Bizarrely, the party would not say who is number three - but confirmed it is not a sitting MP. Brash said the candidate ''has the unanimous support of the board, and has strong credentials for the role, but is not currently in a position to confirm availability.''

Parliamentary leader John Boscawen refused to confirm if Isaac was the missing name and Isaac said she is ''not going to comment on the ACT list.''

He confirmed Hong Kong lawyer and blogger Cathy Odgers was not on the list, saying she had decided ''the time is not right for her.''

Boscawen spoke to Dunedin-based Calvert yesterday and today and said she has ''no ill-feeling'' towards the board.

''The board decided it wanted to bring in a number of fresh new faces and to position the party for the future.''

In 2008 the party's number five spot was left open - and eventually went to David Garrett, who quit the party is disgrace last year.

Former Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson is number four followed by Epsom candidate John Banks. He is favourite to win the seat, keeping the party in parliament.

ACT party president Chris Simmons is number 7, just behind David Seymour. Seymour, is a 28 year old policy analyst who stood for the party in 2005.

Two women just make the top 10 - Kath McCabe, an environmental lawyer, and Robyn Stent, a former Health and Disability Commissioner. Brash had hoped to see a Maori candidate in the top ten.

Brash said the list '' comprised an excellent mix of practical, political and ACT Party experience, with policy nous and youth.'' He called it a ''tremendous line up.''

Simmons said he was ''doubly honoured'' to be selected.

Hilary Calvert could not be contacted for comment.

Current MPs Sir Roger Douglas and Heather Roy are stepping down at the election.

ACT Party List 2011
 
1 Dr Don Brash,
2 Hon John Boscawen,
3 ?
4 Don Nicolson,
5 Hon John Banks,
6 David Seymour,
7 Chris Simmons,
8 Stephen Whittington,
9 Kath McCabe,
10 Robyn Stent,
11 John Thompson,
12 John Ormond,
13 Lyn Murphy,
14 Kevin Moratti,
15 Robin Grieve,
16 Pratima Nand,
17 Dominic Costello,
18 Toni Severen,
19 Richard Evans,
20 Ian Cummings,
21 Gareth Veale,
22 Toby Hutton,
23 Dan Stratton,
24 Robert Burnside,
25 Hayden Fitzgerald,
26 Alex Spiers,
27 Peter McCaffrey.

- © Fairfax NZ News