Labour has selected Dr Sunita Gautam as its candidate for Selwyn after its first pick for the electorate pulled out.

Nick Moody had earlier been announced as Labour’s candidate for the 2026 election but withdrew to maintain his focus on his elected role as an Environment Canterbury regional councillor.

Gautam, a senior business management lecturer at Ara Institute of Canterbury, said she was ready to earn the trust of local voters.

“I’m honoured to be Labour’s candidate for Selwyn, it’s a responsibility I take seriously. I’m ready to listen, to work hard, and to represent the voices and aspirations of our communities,” she said.

“I’m a unionist’s daughter and a union member, raised with the values of solidarity, collective responsibility, and standing up for others. Those values have shaped my life, my career, and my commitment to public service.”

Gautam said her focus would be on easing cost-of-living pressures, supporting warm and affordable homes, creating secure jobs, backing local businesses, improving transport and accessibility, and strengthening community wellbeing.

She is chair and an elected member of the Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board, a board member of Christchurch Resettlement Services, a trustee of Rose Historic Chapel and a former member of the Edgeware Pavilion Pool Board. She is also a Justice of the Peace and an independent marriage and civil union celebrant.

Before moving into tertiary education, Gautam spent more than a decade in early childhood education, including running two early childhood education businesses. She holds a PhD in management from the University of Canterbury, along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in commerce and business management.

“I know what it means to build a life through hard work, opportunity, and the support of a community. Selwyn is a diverse and growing electorate with incredible people, and I look forward to listening, connecting, and working alongside residents,” she said.