Claim: In the 1980 Onehunga by-election Reg Boorman unsuccessfully stood for the Labour nomination and was chosen to contest the 1984 Wairarapa electorate.
Evidence: He unsuccessfully stood for the Labour nomination at the 1980 Onehunga by-election, losing to Fred Gerbic. He was selected to contest the Wairarapa electorate in 1984, where he defeated the National Party incumbent Ben Couch.