Labour has released its party list. Where last time they focused on incumbent protection (with a consequent lack of new blood), this time round they've taken the opposite approach. After the core team and top-ranked cabinet Ministers, they've generally ranked younger, newer MPs ahead of older ones, with the aim of renewing their party even if they lose MPs. And the list looks like New Zealand, with 40% women in the top 30 and solid Maori, "Asian" and Pasifika candidates.
As with last election, I've done a table showing the top candidates relative placements with last time. The big winners are Labour's new Cabinet picks - Chris Carter, David Cunliffe, Maryann Street, Shane Jones and David Parker, who are clearly expected to form the core of Labour's future team. The big losers are underperforming Maori MPs, who have generally seen their list places drop (possibly in an effort to threaten their electorates into voting for them) and older MPs like Rick Barker, Martin Gallagher and Judith Tizard.
| 2008 Rank | Name | 2005 Rank | Difference |
| 1 | Helen Clark | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Michael Cullen | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Phil Goff | 6 | +3 |
| 4 | Annette King | 7 | +3 |
| 5 | Parekura Horomia | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Pete Hodgson | 12 | +6 |
| 7 | Chris Carter | 19 | +12 |
| 8 | David Cunliffe | 31 | +23 |
| 9 | Maryan Street | 36 | +25 |
| 10 | Nanaia Mahuta | -- | -- |
| 11 | Winnie Laban | 20 | +9 |
| 12 | Rajen Prasad | -- | -- |
| 13 | Ruth Dyson | 14 | +1 |
| 14 | Trevor Mallard | 8 | -6 |
| 15 | Lianne Dalziel | 26 | +11 |
| 16 | Shane Jones | 27 | +11 |
| 17 | David Parker | 37 | +20 |
| 18 | Clayton Cosgrove | -- | -- |
| 19 | Darren Hughes | 34 | +15 |
| 20 | Jacinda Ardern | -- | -- |
| 21 | Raymond Huo | -- | -- |
| 22 | Sue Moroney | 42 | +20 |
| 23 | Mita Ririnui | 15 | -8 |
| 24 | Su'a William Sio | 47 | +23 |
| 25 | Moana Mackey | 41 | +16 |
| 26 | Phil Twyford | 55 | +29 |
| 27 | Charles Chauvel | 44 | +17 |
| 28 | Carol Beaumont | -- | -- |
| 29 | Kelvin Davis | -- | -- |
| 30 | Steve Chadwick | 33 | +3 |
| 31 | Ashraf Choudhary | 25 | -6 |
| 32 | Lynne Pillay | 40 | +7 |
| 33 | Darien Fenton | 43 | +10 |
| 34 | Rick Barker | 21 | -13 |
| 35 | Carmel Sepuloni | -- | -- |
| 36 | Stuart Nash | 60 | +24 |
| 37 | Damien O'Connor | -- | -- |
| 38 | Judith Tizard | 18 | -20 |
| 39 | Mark Burton | 16 | -23 |
| 40 | Mahara Okeroa | 22 | -18 |
| 41 | Martin Gallagher | 32 | -9 |
| 42 | Dave Hereora | 39 | -3 |
| 43 | Louisa Wall | 46 | +3 |
| 44 | Lesley Soper | 45 | +1 |
| 45 | Clare Curran | -- | -- |
| 46 | Grant Robertson | -- | -- |
| 47 | Chris Hipkins | -- | -- |
| 48 | Iain Lees-Galloway | -- | -- |
| 49 | Brendon Burns | 48 | -1 |
| 50 | Hamish McCracken | 49 | -1 |
| 51 | Erin Ebborn-Gillespie | 69 | +18 |
| 52 | Errol Mason | -- | -- |
| 53 | Chris Yoo | 57 | +4 |
| 54 | Jo Bartley | -- | -- |
| 55 | Don Pryde | -- | -- |
| 56 | Michael Wood | 58 | +2 |
| 57 | Farida Sultana | -- | -- |
| 58 | Denise MacKenzie | 50 | +8 |
| 59 | Julian Blanchard | -- | -- |
| 60 | Hamish McDouall | -- | -- |
Not on the table is sitting MP Lesley Soper, who has gone from position 45 (and a seat in Parliament) to number 77. They must really, really hate her.
Update: So, Scoop's original version of the list (which had a gap at 44 and Soper at 77) was incorrect; according to the Herald and the PDF on The Standard, she's at 44 and has gone up a place. I wonder what happened?
