Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Union organiser may seek Manurewa nomination

Updated at 2:51 pm on 30 July 2010

An organiser for one of the country's biggest unions says he is considering contesting the Labour Party nomination for the seat held by Labour MP George Hawkins.

Nominations for Manurewa, a safe Labour seat, close on 1 September.

Jerome Mika of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union is an active member of the Labour Party's Pacific branch and well-known in Auckland's Samoan community.

He says Labour has to run a fair process around the selection of candidates for Manurewa if Mr Hawkins resigns.

Mr Mika, who grew up in Manurewa, says the party needs more Pacific Island candidates.

He has a close working relationship with Labour list MP Carmel Sepuloni.

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