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Wellington, February 26, 2017
List MP Paul Foster-Bell has announced he will not contest the selection for Wellington Central and will stand down from Parliament at the 2017 General Election.
He issued the following statement earlier today.
“Today I informed local National Party members that I am withdrawing my name from consideration for selection in Wellington Central, and that I will not seek a place on National’s list for the 2017 General Election. It is critical for New Zealand’s future that National remains in Government, to build on the successes of the last few years, with a clear and strong plan to keep delivering results. Everyone in the party must be united and focused on this, and a contest for selection will only distract our fantastic local team from the wider goal.
“Serving as a Member of Parliament has been a distinct honour, but now is the right time for me to pursue other opportunities.
“I will be working hard to ensure National remains in Government, and will be backing our Wellington Central candidate. This is a great city and it deserves an effective MP in a Government that gets results.
“Being an MP is not something you can do without a lot of support. I am incredibly grateful to my family, my partner, and my supporters – especially the hardworking Wellington Central team.
“National is in great shape, united and refreshed under Bill English’s leadership. I’m proud to
Former Diplomat
A former diplomat, Mr Foster-Bell entered Parliament in 2013 replacing Dr Jackie Blue.
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