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Ryan Anderson / Stuff
Jami-Lee Ross has confirmed that he will not contest the Botany electorate.
Jami-Lee Ross has announced that he will not contest the Botany electorate.
In a statement, Ross said that he will only participate in the 2020 elections as a candidate from the Advance NZ Party list, after a decade as a Botany deputy.
“It is an emotional decision to take a step back from where it all began as a local representative, but this is not goodbye,” he said.
“Advance NZ is gaining momentum and I have taken on the role of leading the strategic direction of our campaign.”
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“I could not do justice to our 60 candidates, our 7000 members and the thousands of volunteers, at the same time that I correctly entered the three-participant contest here on the ground.
“Billy Te Kahika is on his way to winning the Te Tai Tokerau seat which will see Advance NZ crossing the threshold of a seat.”
Jami-Lee Ross. (File photo)
He said the increase in membership, fundraising, social media outreach and volunteers showed Advance NZ was taking advantage of growing voter dissatisfaction with the current major parties.
“Billy’s energy and connection to the voters, combined with my experience in Parliament, will make Advance NZ competitive on October 17th.
“We will present a list of more than 60 candidates throughout the country.
“This was not the decision I expected to make three years ago, but I’m focused on the future, not the past,” he said.
Ross said Botany and East Auckland was his home, where he had grown personally and professionally.
“For more than 16 years, both in local government and in Parliament, I am proud of the local achievements and achievements on the ground at Botánica.
Ryan Anderson / Stuff
Billy Te Kahika at the merger of Advance New Zealand and New Zealand Public Party.
“I’ve spent that time fighting for new community buildings, protecting local assets, seeing the brand new growth of Ormiston Town Center, and of course helping constituents one by one.
“Half of my constituency did not exist when I started as Manukau city councilor and I am proud to have played a role in the growth of botany.”
“As much as I love being a local MP, my efforts in this election are best served by bringing a new party to Parliament.
“I will always be grateful to the Botany and Howick communities for the privilege of being their representative.”
Ross served on the Manukau City Council from 2004 to 2010, the Auckland City Council from 2010 to 2011, and then won the Botany By-Election in 2011.
