Banks puts hand up for Epsom

John Banks has ended speculation about his involvement in future ACT Party plans by formally putting his hat in the ring for the party's Epsom seat nomination.

NZPA
Wed, 18 May 2011

John Banks has ended speculation about his involvement in future ACT Party plans by formally putting his hat in the ring for the party's Epsom seat nomination.

The 64-year-old former Auckland mayor registered his nomination at ACT's head office in Newmarket this afternoon.

Don Brash, who rolled Rodney Hide to take over as the party's leader last month, has been pushing for Mr Banks to take over the seat Mr Hide holds.

Nominations for the seat, which Mr Hide won with 56 percent of the vote for in the 2008 election, close next Tuesday. Mr Banks is the only candidate so far.

Mr Banks, who was a National Party MP from 1981 to 1999, told NZPA he was excited by the prospect of returning to Parliament.

"I was in Parliament house 30 years ago, then I was in the town hall, then I went back to the town hall, and maybe, with the support of the Epsom people, maybe back to Parliament, so it just shows it is a land of opportunity," he said.

"I'm really rather excited, enthused and motivated."

Mr Banks said he had been considering a position in ACT for the last three months.

"I wasn't, in the early stages, breaking my neck to get back to Parliament because I've re-established my commercial career and I thought it might be time to move on," he said.

"But as the country finds itself in deeper and deeper trouble, I felt that I needed to step up to the plate and make a contribution again.

"Don invited me to stand and I've had representations by large numbers of local Epsom voters, and the rest is now history."

The seat has been crucial for ACT since 2005 and may be again in this year's election if the party remains unable to meet the 5 percent party vote threshold.

NZPA
Wed, 18 May 2011

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Banks puts hand up for Epsom