The ACT Party "definitely" has a future, says president John Boscawen – but who will lead it into the next election remains a mystery.
Current leader John Banks yesterday announced he won't stand again, bringing his long and controversial political career to an end as he prepares to defend himself against charges of filing a false electoral return.
But Banks isn't going to go quietly, vowing to stay on as MP for the Epsom electorate until next year's election. Mr Boscawen says Banks was elected to be the wealthy electorate's representative in Parliament, and that nothing – short of a conviction – can change that.
"He's been doing a great job there and he wants to continue to do that job. He wants to fulfil the obligations he made when he was elected," he said on Firstline this morning.
"What he doesn't want to do is take responsibility for the wider task of actually getting the ACT Party back in bigger numbers. He wants to focus on his electorate MP position, while clearing his name."
Mr Boscawen says Banks chose to call time on his political career, and wasn't pushed.
"He wanted to do what he thought was in the best interests of the country, the Government and our party, and he stepped aside so the distractions can be put to one side, he can focus on clearing his name and the ACT Party can go about preparing for the next election."
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With less than a year to go until the election ACT doesn't have a lot of time to rebuild its support, which plummeted to 1.07 percent in 2011 under Don Brash, the party's worst-ever showing.
Dr Brash took the reins only seven months beforehand, ousting Rodney Hide, who was struggling with low poll ratings after being busted for abusing taxpayer-funded perks.
But could Mr Hide make an unlikely political comeback? Dr Brash said as much on Newstalk ZB this morning, and Mr Boscawen is not ruling it out.
"I would welcome as many people as possible putting their names forward, and if Rodney Hide wanted to put his name forward for that nomination, I know he'd be very welcome, and a number of members at our party no doubt would support that."
As president Mr Boscawen says he can't indicate a preference for or against any particular candidate, but one thing's for certain – it won't be him.
"I made the decision prior to the last election not to seek re-election in 2011, and that wasn't a decision that I regretted."
Unlike Mr Banks, who yesterday said Parliament was "much more feral, much more septic, a lot more nasty" than when he first became an MP in the 1980s.
"If I knew what I know now, would I have done things differently? Probably."
Mr Boscawen says others candidates from the 2011 list that might go for the job aren't high-profile names, but "are very competent people".
"I think by virtue of being the candidate for Epsom, that profile would grow," he says. "But there are other people… Jamie Whyte is recorded in the New Zealand Herald this morning declaring his interest. He's a philosopher, an ACT Party member and recently returned from the United Kingdom, and a New Zealander. He's a very, very smart individual."
It's going to take a very, very smart individual to resurrect ACT – but some might argue the party's brand is so tarnished, a truly smart individual would stay well away.
3 News
source: newshub archive
