Deborah Russell has been announced as the Labour Party's candidate to contest the New Lynn electorate in the general election.

Russell, a tax expert from Massey University, will replace the outgoing David Cunliffe from the traditionally safe Labour seat.

She is seen as an outsider in the bid to be Labour's candidate, but had the support of the party's hierarchy.

She previously said there were difficulties in trying to get the selection as an outsider, but she was contacting party members in New Lynn to try to secure support and had promised to move into the electorate if selected.

Ms Russell said Labour did need more women candidates and that was something the locals would weigh up.

She stood in Rangitikei in 2014.