Editing Stephen Franks (section)

==Member of Parliament: 1999–2005==
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Franks entered Parliament in the {{NZ election link|1999}}, having been ranked in third place on the party list for the ACT Party, and coming fourth in {{NZ electorate link|Rongotai}} electorate. This high ranking (above several sitting MPs) was indicative of ACT's high hopes for Franks at the time – as a prominent lawyer, he was generally regarded as a significant asset for the party. In {{NZ election link year|2002}} he stood in {{NZ electorate link|Wellington Central}} which had been won by ACT's [[Richard Prebble]] in {{NZ election link year|1996}}. During his six years in Parliament he was ACT spokesman for Justice, Corrections, the Police and Commerce. He added Maori Affairs and Sport in the last three years.

When Prebble announced his retirement from politics in early 2004, Franks was one of the four candidates who sought to take his place as leader of ACT. Franks ran on a platform of restoring the party's core message. Despite receiving the endorsement of party founder Roger Douglas, he was eventually defeated by Rodney Hide. After Hide became leader of the ACT party on 13 June, Franks remained the party's spokesperson for justice.