By Dan Satherley
Former Auckland mayoral candidate Colin Craig has set his sights on Parliament.
This morning Mr Craig announced the launch of the Conservative Party of New Zealand, which he says will focus on "long-term thinking, fiscal responsibility and valuing voters, people and communities".
In 2010 Mr Craig came third in the Auckland super city mayoral election, self-funding his campaign as an independent.
Before that he was probably best known for spending $500,000 of his own money bankrolling the 2009 'March for Democracy', organised after the Government ignored the results of a controversial citizen-initiated referendum on the so-called 'anti-smacking law'.
At today's launch in Newmarket – part of the key Epsom electorate – he outlined the new party's vision and dodged a few questions about just where he'd run.
"I will stand in an electorate where I can win," says Mr Craig.
"For those who are aware of it, I am a great believer in polling and I have been polling for more than a year – not just on issues – but where I might be able to succeed."
Mr Craig says he is polling "not too badly" in Epsom, but "the decision's not made yet".
If Mr Craig did stand in Epsom, it would certainly throw a spanner in the works for ACT, who are running ex-National MP John Banks. Paul Goldsmith is National's man on the ground, but he will only be campaigning on the party vote, so Mr Craig could be an attractive choice for moderate National supporters who aren't comfortable ticking a box for an ACT candidate.
And if Mr Craig does run in Epsom – or any other borderline seat – he won't be cutting any deals.
"We like the thought of a genuine and open election, not one that's been stitched up," says Mr Craig.
It's not just National voters the Conservatives are after though – Mr Craig believes his party's policies could appeal to disillusioned Labour voters, but doesn't expect to make headway with those voting Green or ACT.
"In the Auckland mayoral campaign I got 9 percent – my personal goal is to do better than that, and I believe that I can."
Mr Craig says after the mayoral campaign a lot of people contacted him to say they would have voted for him, but had to vote for Len Brown to keep John Banks out – or vice versa.
"The first-past-the-post system cost me votes," says Mr Craig.
So what does the Conservative Party stand for? Mr Craig outlined a few core policies, including:
- implementing binding referenda
- lowering the number of MPs to 99
- adopting a four-year Parliamentary term
- raising the drinking age to 20
- canning the emissions trading scheme
- life imprisonment meaning life
- early intervention in youth crime
- repealing the 'anti-smacking law'
- stop the sale of state assets
- work for welfare
- returning the seabed to Crown ownership.
"We hope to engender real debate around major issues," says Mr Craig, who says the party intends to contest all electorate seats "where possible".
Aware of his underdog status, he says he is confident the party's late start won't be a hindrance.
"The campaign budget will be dependent on contributions received from supporters, but it is expected to be a credible and well-resourced campaign," says Mr Craig.
"It took a while for the media to take me as a serious candidate [in the mayoral election]. Now I'm better-known."
Mr Craig says he won't speculate on future coalition partners just yet.
"We will rule nothing in, and rule nothing out. We will wait for the voter to have their say on election day.
"My view is, unlike perhaps some others... I think the voter has to speak first, and then the politicians can talk about who they might like to talk with.
"I see Phil Goff and John Key as both reasonable people."
Before he can start thrashing out coalition partners, he needs to get his party into Parliament. The next step for Mr Craig is attracting 500 party members so they can officially contest the election in November.
"If there's not the support for it, it won't happen."
3 News