Former Conservative leader Colin Craig has not yet ruled out putting his hand up as a candidate in the race for the Auckland mayoralty next year.
Craig has said he has been approached on many occasions to enter his candidacy for the position and admitted it is something he has not yet ruled out. He believes there is a strong constituency for a conservative candidate in New Zealand’s largest city.
“I was born here and I love the city. As a party we have always had some clear policies about sorting Auckland out, starting by reducing rates,” Craig said in a video interview with Stuff.
Craig ran previously in 2010, finishing third behind Len Brown and John Banks with upwards of 40,000 votes. “You had two very big names in the race,” said Craig. “I think what’s important is the issue for Aucklanders about making it a more affordable city to live in.”
Despite his admission of interest in the race for the Auckland mayoralty, Craig says the Conservative Party and parliament are his main concerns.
Craig recently stood down as leader of the party amid allegations of sexual harassment towards his former press secretary, Rachel McGregor.
Craig also announced this week that he would be filing a trio of defamation claims against blogger Cameron Slater, former Conservative party board member John Stringer and political lobbyist Jordan Williams, seeking $1.55 million in damages.