Sat 20 Sep 2014 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Back for Labour: Grant Robertson, Meka Whaitiri and Louisa Wall National has romped home in the election, while Labour has had a dismal showing which has implications for lgbti representation in Parliament. Lesbian Labour MP Maryan Street's nine years in Parliament are set to come to an end because Labour has not secured enough party vote for her to return on the list. Gay Labour candidates Tamati Coffey, Richard Hills, Kelly Ellis and Tony Milne have also missed out. The party will have three out MPs - Grant Robertson, Louisa Wall and Meka Whaitiri have all won their electorates. Gay-friendly Auckland Central MP Jacinda Ardern is one of a few Labour MPs who will make it back via the list. She lost Auckland Central narrowly to National's Nikki Kaye, who is also supportive of lgbti communities. Out Green MPs Kevin Hague and Jan Logie will be back in Parliament, while National's Chris Finlayson, though he is not an advocate for lgbti people, brings the number of openly-gay MPs for the next term to just six. Georgina Beyer was unsuccessful in her bid for a return on the Internet Mana ticket, with the coalition failing to make it due to Hone Harawira losing his electorate seat. The anti-gay Conservative Party has failed to reach five percent and will also not be in Parliament.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 20th September 2014 - 11:18pm