Bid To Veto Candidates Lost (Press, 28 September 1987)

In a politically charged event at the Young Nationals conference, two members urged the party's national executive to utilise its veto power more frequently when selecting candidates. Their proposal arose following the selection of fundamentalist Christians as National candidates for the upcoming election. The remit suggested that candidates could be dismissed if they did not align with the party’s objectives or if they posed potential issues in the future. This proposal generated intense debate during the conference, with many speakers labelling it as “insidious” or “centralist.” Ultimately, the remit was overwhelmingly rejected during a vote, marking it as one of the most contentious discussions of the conference. Bruce Alabaster, a member from Papatoetoe, voiced concerns regarding the limited size of selection committees in certain electorates, suggesting that inadequate representation could lead to the nomination of unqualified candidates. Alabaster cited his own electorate, noting that a candidate not truly representative of the area had been selected in the previous election. He lamented the negative impact poor candidates could have on the party's overall image and election prospects. Alabaster specifically called out his party's candidate, Howard Martin, suggesting that many of Martin's views reflected the older demographic of the selection committee rather than the broader electorate. Martin, however, rejected accusations of being unrepresentative, asserting his commitment to Christian values and family-oriented principles. He expressed pride in his selection and pointed out that he had successfully reduced the Labour Party's majority in the previous election. In response to Alabaster's public criticisms, Martin expressed intentions to push for Alabaster’s removal from the Papatoetoe electorate committee. Martin confronted Alabaster’s stance by questioning what type of candidate he would prefer, implying that Alabaster's views were out of touch with the community's values. The clash highlighted the ongoing tensions within the party over the selection criteria for candidates, particularly regarding religious beliefs and representation. As discussions about candidate selection lingered, they also reflected broader themes of party identity and community alignment within the National Party as the election approached.

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