From today's NZ Herald
New Labour MP Louisa Wall could pay the price of her party's use of the list to ensure different ethnicities are well represented in Parliament.
The former Silver Fern, who entered Parliament six months ago, is ranked at 43 on the party's list - giving her a borderline chance of re-entering Parliament after the election.
Yesterday she said she was not sure why she was ranked lower than several non-sitting candidates, but did not believe it was a judgment about her abilities.
She didn't deny she was disappointed, but "the Labour Party is made up of lots of different sectors and affiliates, they've gone through the process and that's where I am. This is a team, and I'm in with a fighting chance. Getting 42 seats isn't out of the realms of possibility."
Labour will need to get about 35 or 36 per cent of the vote for Ms Wall to re-enter Parliament. She was placed below eight candidates who are not at present MPs, despite being among the first tranche of the party's rejuvenation when she replaced Ann Hartley in Parliament earlier this year.
Are other ethnicities more important than Maori? It would seem so.
