Another MP won’t contest the election

Rangitata MP and former food safety, community and voluntary sector minister Jo Goodhew has revealed she will not be contesting this year’s election.

Ms Goodhewsays she came to the decision over the summer break and is confident she’s making the right decision.

“I’d like to thank the people of the Rangitata electorate for their incredible support. I intend to remain 100% committed as their MP until the election.”

Ms Goodhew has been the MP for Rangitata since National was elected into government in 2008. Before that, she was the MP for Aoraki.

In the last general election, she won the Rangitata electorate by a large margin, beating Labour’s Steven Gibson’s 9411 votes with her 23,518.

Ms Goodhew was National’s junior whip for five years and has held many portfolios, including senior Citizens and Women. She also held associate minister roles in the primary industries, health and social development portfolios.  

“I have loved every minute I have been an MP. It’s been an interesting, challenging and fulfilling career but it’s now time for me to look at new opportunities,” she says.

Ms Goodhew was dropped as minister in Bill English’s first cabinet reshuffle. At the time she said she’d run "boots and all” in the election.

Her announcement follows a string of her National party colleagues making the same decision.

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced she would not be contesting this year’s election in October.

Then in December, Local Government Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga, Statistics and Small Business Minister Craig Foss and Foreign Minister Murray McCully all announced they would not contest the election in the same week – the first week Prime Minister Bill English took over from John Key.

Mr Key himself shocked the nation in December by standing down as prime minister and revealing he would not seek re-election this year either.