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An interactive online tool designed to help young, first-time and undecided voters engage with New Zealand politics is back.
On the Fence is a simple questionnaire designed to help voters explore how their views compare with those of participating political parties. It aims to make political issues more accessible, encourage conversations and further research, and help people make their own informed decisions about voting.
Research designer Tim Parkin says politics can feel complicated and disconnected from everyday life, particularly if you’re voting for the first time.
“On the Fence provides an approachable way into politics, using accessible language and a fun, game-like experience,” he says. “It helps people understand what governments do, explore their views across a range of issues, and discover different perspectives.”
On the Fence guides users through a series of questions about political issues and compares their answers with responses supplied by political parties. It then shows each user’s level of compatibility with those parties, providing a starting point for exploring policies, discussing issues and seeing which parties align with their values.
On the Fence can be viewed: onthefence.co.nz
Electorate profile
Geographically, Kaipara ki Mahurangi is the 10th largest general electorate in NZ.
It stretches across northern Auckland, from the Kaipara Harbour to the communities of the Mahurangi in the east.
Its southern boundary extends from the Waiwera River on the east coast to the Waitakere Ranges on the west coast. The northern boundary largely reflects the Auckland Council boundary, following the Oruawhero River, crossing SH1 north of Te Hana and finishing just north of Te Arai.
The electorate combines rapidly growing satellite towns and commuter communities with farming districts, lifestyle blocks, coastal holiday settlements and established rural centres.
Despite being part of the Auckland region, much of Kaipara ki Mahurangi has a rural and provincial character. Agriculture, horticulture, construction, tourism, hospitality and small businesses are important to its economy.
The electorate has historically had a particularly high proportion of people earning income through self-employment or their own businesses. Transport infrastructure and congestion, climate change resilience, pressure from population growth, housing and development, protection of productive rural land, environmental management, coastal issues, and access to health and other public services are recurring themes.
Kaipara ki Mahurangi was created under its present name for the 2020 election, replacing the former Helensville electorate. The seat and its Helensville predecessor have traditionally been National strongholds. The incumbent, National’s Chris Penk, is not contesting the seat, after being stripped of his ministerial portfolios following his part in a failed leadership challenge against Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in August. Penk won Kaipara ki Mahurangi convincingly in 2023 with nearly 48 per cent of the vote, beating his next nearest rival, Labour candidate Guy Wishart (now Rodney Local Board chair) by nearly 20,000 votes.
The field standing in Kaipara ki Mahurangi are (at time of printing):
Zephyr Brown, Greens
Simon Court, ACT
Daniel Eb, Opportunity
Jessica Rowe, National
Jolyon Swinburn, Labour
Ivan Wagstaff, Independent
Jenny Marcroft, for NZ First, is standing for the party vote
Mahurangi Matters invited all candidates contesting the Kaipara Ki Mahurangi seat to submit a short biography and answer some questions relevant to the electorate. All responded except Simon Court, who is standing for the ACT Party. Apologies for any unlisted candidates not known at the time of printing. The order of candidates in this feature was selected randomly.
Mahurangi Matters’ October 26 issue will profile Te Tai Tokerau candidates, as well as provide more answers to questions from the Kaipara ki Mahurangi candidates.
Daniel Eb – Opportunity Party
I’m proud to be standing for Opportunity in Kaipara ki Mahurangi.
I was born in South Africa and am lucky to have roots in both urban Auckland and rural Kaipara. Service has been a strong through-line in my career – initially as an infantry officer in the NZ Army Reserve and later as a social impact and small business founder. For the last decade, I have focussed on supporting Kiwis involved in rural innovation, community building and nature-positive farming – primarily by creating NZ’s national open farm day to reconnect urban Kiwis with the land.
I live right here in Kaipara ki Mahurangi with my wife and daughter. When I’m not campaigning, you’ll find me turning my home into a food forest, shifting cattle on the family farm, surfing, deep in a history podcast or spending time with my young family.
I am motivated by a strong sense of responsibility to New Zealand. This country welcomed my family and offered me an urban-rural upbringing that continues to define my life. I’m standing for Opportunity to pay back those gifts through service, and to do my bit for the future my daughter will live in.
How well do you know the electorate?
The Kaipara region has been an important place for my family since the early 2000s when we first stepped into farming. As a north-west Auckland local, I have experienced the same traffic, flooding and rapid urban development challenges that constituents often share with me. I am also well-aware of the many opportunities our region offers – including our iconic local businesses, world-class beaches, rebounding wildlife, top-performing farms and Māori community, culture and enterprises. We’re lucky to call this place home.
Why are you standing?
I joined the Opportunity Party because I expect better from our political leaders.
I have watched for decades as New Zealand’s productivity, healthcare, education and other core parts of our society have fallen into decline.
I believe that now is the time for a new generation of politicians to stand up – with fresh ideas, new energy and a willingness to undertake big reforms.
Because the world we live in is changing fast – from our climate to geopolitical stability, ageing demographics and economic growth. To remain safe, secure and productive in this more challenging future, we need leaders with the courage to embrace big changes when the evidence calls for it.
I know that process won’t be easy. But the next generation, including my daughter, need us to step up and meet these challenges – just like older generations did for us.
Which of your party’s policies resonates most with you?
‘Clean-up politics’ is an important policy for me. It’s about safeguarding the integrity of our political process by regulating lobbyists and limiting large political donations. Trust in government and social cohesion are incredibly important, but often undervalued assets. I’d rather we protect these things now, than experience the breakdown of social trust and cohesion like we see in places like America.
As someone who likes to build businesses and social impact projects, our small business support package is very appealing. This includes a 25 per cent tax credit for new technology investments, a strengthened Commerce Commission to stop monopolistic behaviours across all sectors (not just the supermarkets!) and the creation of a new company structure. The ‘impact company’ structure would support businesses operating for social or environmental gain, as well as profit, with new funding options and tax incentives – it’s about enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs to more directly address our biggest national challenges through business.
I am a big supporter of our ‘Citizen’s Voice’ policy too. This plan would see more use of Citizens’ Assemblies (representative groups of people who are supported to find solutions to local or national issues). They have worked well overseas, include everyday people in democracy and find lasting pathways on our toughest issues – the issues that politicians usually kick down the road because they’re ‘too hard’!
If elected, what can Kaipara ki Mahurangi voters expect from you as their local MP?
To back them. I believe the two main tasks of a leader is to support people in the here and now, and too enact the changes that set us all up for the future – however challenging those changes may be.
Is there one thing you would like to have achieved for this electorate at the end of your first term?
As part of our Climate Action policy, we want to establish a national insurance adaptation framework that enables communities in the path of climate-charged events – like floods – to retreat fairly and with dignity. Difficult as it is, I would be proud to see Kumeu show the country how to do this.
What would you do to ensure rapidly growing communities receive the roads, public transport, health services, schools and other infrastructure they need?
Oppose fast tracking green-field residential developments out of council sequence for a start! Opportunity supports new housing through urban intensification rather than sprawl. We look to places like Hobsonville Point as a model, where intensification has been well-planned and services were built before homes.
What should government do to make it easier for young people to find jobs, apprenticeships and affordable housing locally?
Opportunity has been clear that the core driver of our national economic decline (which young people bear the brunt of) is our broken housing market. Three things happen to young people when we overinflate the price of land and housing – they cannot afford the security a home offers, their employer can’t afford to offer them a raise (because economic activity is constrained) and they can’t get a loan to start a business (because lending is largely focused on property). Changing our 40-year-old tax settings to enable genuine economic opportunities for young people, must be on the agenda for the next Government.
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Biosecurity
Cost of living
Health
Climate change
Education
Defence
Crime and policing
Environment
Rural production
Arts, culture and heritage
Jessica Rowe – National
I was raised in Kaipara ki Mahurangi, in Coatesville and Riverhead, and this part of Auckland has always been home. I grew up in a family where community service was important.
I spent more than a decade working as a television journalist and producer, which taught me to listen carefully, ask questions and get to the heart of an issue. I later joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working on issues affecting New Zealand in Asia and the Pacific. From there I moved into Parliament, initially working in the Foreign Minister’s office and, most recently, as a ministerial advisor to the Leader of the House and Minister for Social Development and Tourism, Louise Upston.
I also have a strong commercial heritage. My family has run an Auckland haberdashery wholesaler, Arthur N Rowe, for more than a century, and I have developed my own business interests in NZ wool. That business background has given me a practical appreciation of the challenges and rewards of keeping a small business operating, and employing people.
Outside work, I love spending time with family and friends and getting outdoors.
How well do you know the electorate?
I know the geography from growing up here and from travelling extensively through it during this campaign. But the electorate isn’t a place – it’s really the people – and they are my friends, my family and my community.
Kaipara ki Mahurangi is an extraordinary electorate. It includes farmers, growers, tradespeople, small businesses and families who have lived here for generations alongside thousands of newer residents. Since being selected, I have visited businesses, farms, schools, community organisations, markets and retirement villages, and attended local events. Different communities have distinct concerns, but one theme is remarkably consistent: Population growth has happened much faster than infrastructure has kept pace.
Why are you standing?
Journalism allowed me to report on issues that matter to people. Foreign affairs and Parliament gave me the opportunity to work on policy and advise decision-makers on issues that could improve the prosperity and security of New Zealanders. But eventually I realised I wanted to take the next step: to put myself forward as a candidate to directly represent a community and advocate for the issues that matter to people.
Which three National Party policies resonate most with you, and why?
Firstly, growing the economy while committing to no new taxes. I know businesses need confidence and certainty to invest, employ people and grow. I also believe people who work hard should be able to keep more of what they earn.
Secondly, infrastructure. National has committed to continued investment in roads, classrooms, hospitals and other major infrastructure.
Thirdly, better educational achievement. National is focused on strengthening the basics in schools, regular assessment and improving achievement. Education is one of the most powerful ways we can give every young New Zealander opportunity.
If elected, what can voters expect from you as their local MP?
They can expect me to be accessible, extremely hard-working and to be a strong voice representing the electorate in Wellington. An effective electorate MP needs to be accessible and spend time on the ground listening to people.
But to make change, effective MPs also know how to take those issues into Wellington and get them in front of the right decision-makers. Having already worked in Parliament, I understand how ministers and government agencies operate and how issues can be advanced through the system. I can be a strong bridge between our communities and Wellington.
What is one thing you would like to have achieved by the end of your first term?
I want to be known as a strong champion for the people that I represent.
In terms of wins, we need to make tangible progress on addressing the infrastructure pressures facing this electorate. New infrastructure doesn’t happen overnight. But key projects can be demonstrably further advanced.
How would you ensure rapidly growing communities receive the infrastructure they need?
Growth needs to be anticipated rather than the government constantly playing catch-up. Infrastructure is an issue, which is why National has introduced fast track and why we are building Warkworth to Te Hana. Working collaboratively with agencies, Council and business to understand strong population forecasting and protecting future transport corridors, planning schools and health services early and ensuring infrastructure investment is closely connected to where housing development is occurring.
What should government do to make it easier for young people to find jobs, apprenticeships and affordable housing locally?
The starting point is a strong local economy. When businesses grow, they create jobs and opportunities for young people.
We also need strong connections between schools, employers, trades and training providers so young people can see clear pathways into apprenticeships and employment.
Housing supply matters as well. National has proposed widening access to the First Home Loan scheme so more eligible first-home buyers can purchase with a five per cent deposit.
Ultimately, I want young people growing up here to believe they can build a career, afford a home and create a future in the communities where they were raised.
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Cost of living/financial management
Health
Other: Infrastructure and transport
Crime and policing
Education
But I won’t rank other issues, which I would characterise as “protection” priorities and should be considered alongside each other. Our rural economy needs strong protection from biosecurity threats. And our unstable world is reflected in our government’s Defence Capability Plan – national security should always be priority for government. The issues of protecting our environment and dealing with the impacts of climate change will clearly be on the agenda of the next Parliament. Protecting our unique culture and heritage and supporting our arts sector are all part of making sure New Zealand remains a special place to live.
Jolyon Swinburn – Labour
I grew up moving around a fair bit including time in Arizona, Rarotonga, Auckland and Melbourne, but Pākiri has been a constant in my life since my family bought a place there in 1997. It is the part of the world that has always pulled me back.
I studied law, politics, philosophy and economics at Otago, then completed a Masters in public international law in Amsterdam. After university, I co-founded a small business, Meke Coffee Roasters, in Ibiza, where I lived for several years. Since returning to New Zealand in 2015, I have spent my career working in public policy on some of the country’s biggest long-term challenges including marine protection, climate change, public finance, debt management, industry policy and transport.
I currently work as a principal policy advisor at the Ministry for Cities, Regions, Environment and Transport, and am on leave while campaigning.
What drives me is the belief that good government matters. When decisions are thoughtful, long-term and practical, communities are stronger, infrastructure works better, and we avoid handing bigger problems to the next generation. That is the kind of politics I believe in.
Outside work, I like to surf, skate, play football and go for a run to clear my head. I also love reading whenever I get the chance and I’m currently reading Goliath’s Curse by Luke Kemp. I live with my partner Isabel and our energetic border collie cross, Babu.
How well do you know the electorate?
I have known the eastern side of the electorate especially well for years through family ties to Pākiri, but campaigning has given me a much deeper understanding of Kaipara ki Mahurangi as a whole. What has struck me is both how diverse the electorate is and how many communities are dealing with the same broad pressures – growth, congestion, access to services, environmental vulnerability, and the feeling that infrastructure has not kept up.
Why are you standing?
I am standing because I believe Kaipara ki Mahurangi needs better long-term decision-making and stronger advocacy. Too often, governments have underinvested in infrastructure and allowed growth to outpace planning. That creates avoidable pressure on roads, public transport, healthcare, housing and the natural environment. My background is in tackling exactly these kinds of policy problems, and I want to bring that experience to Parliament to help deliver better outcomes for this electorate.
Which of your party’s policies resonates most with you?
The first is three free GP visits a year. Too many people put off going to the doctor because of cost, only for problems to get worse and place more pressure on hospitals later. This policy will make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, while improving health outcomes overall.
The second is Apprenticeship Boost. If we want more young people in good local jobs, and if we want the skilled workforce needed to build homes and infrastructure, we need to back apprentices properly. Supporting training, tools and completion is practical, future-focused policy.
The third is Labour’s small business package. Having co-founded and run a small business myself, I know how hard it can be to manage cashflow, invest and grow. Raising the GST threshold, the $10,000 asset write-off, and making it easier for local firms to access government contracts would make a real difference.
If elected, what can Kaipara ki Mahurangi voters expect from you as their local MP?
They can expect me to be visible, accessible and hard-working. Kaipara ki Mahurangi is a large and varied electorate, so being a good local MP means being present across the whole seat, listening carefully, helping people navigate government where I can, and being a strong advocate for local communities in Wellington and within caucus.
Is there one thing you would like to have achieved for this electorate at the end of your first term?
I would like to have contributed towards properly planned growth. In particular, I would want to see the fast track framework amended as a priority, so that development is matched by infrastructure, community input is respected and environmental protections are not treated as optional extras.
What would you do to ensure rapidly growing communities receive the roads, public transport, health services, schools and other infrastructure they need?
The first step is recognising that these issues cannot be solved in isolation. Housing, transport, water, health and schools all need to be planned together. I would push for growth to be matched by infrastructure investment, advocate strongly for this electorate with ministers and local government agencies, and work to ensure that central government planning is more joined up and less reactive than it has been in recent years.
What should government do to make it easier for young people to find jobs, apprenticeships and affordable housing locally?
We need to make it easier for young people to build a life here rather than feeling they have to leave to get ahead. That means backing apprenticeships and skills training, supporting businesses to create good jobs, and improving housing affordability. Labour’s Apprenticeship Boost policy would help young people get into trades and earn while they learn, and our broader housing and economic policies are about making that future more realistic.
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Cost of living/ financial management
Environment
Health
Climate change
Infrastructure and transport
Education
Biosecurity
Rural production
Crime and policing
Arts, culture and heritage
Defence
Zephyr Brown – Green
Tēnā koe, ko Zephyr Brown toku ingoa. Born and raised in Oratia west Auckland, I whakapapa Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Pikiao from my maternal grandmother, and Tongan from my paternal grandmother. Although my wife and I have no children, I do have a very large and diverse whanau of Māori, Tongan, Fijian and Pakeha.
I am the information and sustainability officer (and shareholder) in a $40 million turnover media/print company that employs 135 people. I deal with IT, facilities, fleet and compliance. I know what it takes to run a business in NZ.
Ensuring the company’s security, the wellbeing of my colleagues and the sustainability of our operations is my job.
I spend a lot of time on my daily commute from Leigh to Mount Wellington so don’t have much spare time during the week. On the weekend. I catch up on the household chores and take care of our many pets. We foster puppies from Saving Hope Foundation, run the predator free trapline on the street, volunteer for local plantings with the Whangateau Catchment Collective, Takatu Landcare and Tossi.
I believe in an Aotearoa where everyone has a voice and a democratic system where we understand that there is strength in diversity.
How well do you know the electorate?
I lived in west Auckland until my twenties, moved to the UK for 10 years and then returned to west Auckland before moving into the Leigh area 13 years ago. I have family in Waimauku and spent a lot of time on the west coast beaches and mountain biking in Woodhill, as well as out east in Mahurangi.
Why are you standing?
I’m standing as the Green Party candidate in Kaipara ki Mahurangi to promote our principles of ecological wisdom, social responsibility, appropriate decision-making and non-violence. I believe our policies offer Aotearoa the best solutions to end inequity and tackle climate change.
Which of your party’s policies resonates most with you?
Fair tax for all of us: Our current tax system gives preferential treatment to property as an asset class and this has encouraged investment in property rather than productive businesses, making it harder for firms to access capital for investment in people, technology and equipment. At the same time, large Australian-owned banks earn substantial profits from mortgage lending while many New Zealand businesses struggle to access the capital they need to invest and grow. All the while income earners are relatively over-taxed. The Greens proposed tax changes will see 96 per cent of wage and salary earners keeping more of their pay while the super-rich, banks, large corporates and big tech companies pay their fair share.
Drink, swim, fish: Clean, healthy water is essential to life. We need to fix the rules for water. Ensure healthy rivers and coasts by strengthening rules for urban wastewater discharges. Protect drinking water by setting strong environmental limits and lowering rural nitrate levels. Safeguard our fisheries for future generations by phasing out destructive fishing methods (like bottom trawling), protecting at least 30 per cent of our moana, and reviewing the Quota Management System to prioritise abundance and long- term sustainability.
Power for all of us: Affordable bills should not be a luxury. A warm, dry home powered by clean energy should be within everyone’s reach. Rural business should not be shutting down because they can’t afford power. We’d establish a new publicly-owned Crown entity called Kiwipower to invest in new renewable generation and contract firming capacity. Put power back in your hands by investing $200 million in community energy projects across the country and establish a government-backed loan scheme to enable zero-interest clean energy loans for up to 90% of homeowners.
If elected, what can Kaipara ki Mahurangi voters expect from you as their local MP?
A hard-working local MP who will be there to listen to their concerns, help as much as I can and put community and the environment first.
Is there one thing you would like to have achieved for this electorate at the end of your first term?
There are many Coalition Government policies I would like to see changed, but one priority would be restoring proper environmental safeguards, public participation and democratic planning to development decisions. The Greens have opposed the current fast-track regime because it allows major projects to bypass protections that communities and the environment rely on.
What would you do to ensure rapidly growing communities receive the roads, public transport, health services, schools and other infrastructure they need?
The Greens want infrastructure to be planned alongside population growth, rather than allowing housing development to be fast tracked ahead of the services communities need. We’d require evidence-based medium and long-term plans for public services and infrastructure that explicitly account for population growth, demand and rising costs.
That means – giving councils stronger financial support and working in partnership with local communities; planning new housing around transport, schools, health services and other infrastructure; investing in reliable public transport, including buses and rail, rather than relying on ever more expensive road expansion; ensuring accessible primary healthcare and community services; and changing fiscal settings so government can borrow responsibly to fund productive, long-lived infrastructure.
What should government do to make it easier for young people to find jobs, apprenticeships and affordable housing locally?
A Green-led government would make it easier for young people to study, train work and find and affordable place to live. We would:
• properly fund polytechnics and vocational education, with strong local connections so training reflects the skills communities and employers need;
• make tertiary education fees-free, introduce a universal student allowance and ultimately write off student loan debt;
• support apprenticeships, vocational training and paid training placements so young people are not priced out of learning a trade;
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Cost of living
Climate change
Environment
Health
Education
Crime and policing
Rural production
Biosecurity
Arts, culture and heritage
Defence
Ivan Wagstaff, Independent
I live locally in the Warkworth area with my wife Amy and our three children. Professionally, my background spans over two decades in strategic leadership, technology operations and organisational resilience management, alongside owning local businesses. Since 2022, I have had the privilege of representing our area on the Rodney Local Board, currently serving as deputy chair.
Outside of work, family life anchors everything I do. Like many local parents, an enormous amount of my week is spent on the sidelines and behind the scenes supporting our kids across sports clubs, training and school activities. That shared sideline connection, standing with parents, coaches, and volunteers, keeps me grounded in what our families face. When not on the sidelines, you’ll find me at our local beaches, camping with friends and family, or having a quiet beer at our local pubs.
I didn’t use Google Maps or read a party briefing pack to find Rodney when candidate selections opened; I live our reality every day. Party politicians appear at election time, read from a party script and answer to Wellington the morning after. As a local resident, business owner and your Local Board deputy chair, I don’t pack up after polling day; I have to look you in the eye at the school gate, the supermarket and at our sports fields. That is why I am standing: to give Rodney an authentic, permanent local champion who answers only to our community.
How well do you know the electorate?
Intimately. I live here with my family. I am a Rodney local. As deputy chair of the Rodney Local Board, I have worked across the entire subdivision, from coastal communities like Leigh, Omaha, Point Wells, and Algies Bay, through to Warkworth, Wellsford, and west to Kumeū-Huapai. I drive these highways and unsealed gravel roads daily, stand on our sports sidelines, shop in our town centres, and know first-hand the daily frustrations our families face with transport, infrastructure deficits, and under-resourced services.
Why are you standing?
Rodney has reached a crossroads. Following the sudden departure of our former MP and the rapid selection of Wellington party candidates, the fundamental flaw of party-line politics is unmistakable: when parties issue instructions, party MPs must toe the line, even when Wellington policies hurt our district. I am standing as an Independent to provide Kaipara ki Mahurangi with an experienced, constructive advocate who answers solely to local residents.
What issues resonate most with you?
As an Independent, my contract is with our voters, not a party whip. My platform champions three decisive local priorities:
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Cost of living/ financial management
Local council rating reform & infrastructure delivery
Health
Arts, culture and heritage
Education
Rural production
Environment
Crime and policing
Biosecurity
Climate change
Jenny Marcroft – New Zealand First
The Warkworth region has been my home for 25 years. I am an Albertland descendant, my ties to the area go back to my great-great grandparents who set up home in Wharehine/Port Albert on the shores of the Kaipara Harbour in 1863.
I now live in the Matakana area. It’s a magic place to raise a family with strong rural community vibes and a charming village atmosphere. We have white sandy beaches and spectacular coastal and bush walks on our doorstep and a major metropolitan city close by, but not too close! I’m motivated by the balance needed for protecting our oceans while still enjoying its bounty.
I started out as a primary school teacher and spent time in London. I am an award-winning radio broadcaster with a career spanning more than 30 years in radio and television.
Health has also been a focus for me. I’ve worked in a primary health organisation and have been a member of Parliament’s Health Select Committee for six years.
I have served two terms as a New Zealand First Member of Parliament and am currently the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Media and Communications, and Oceans and Fisheries.
I have a love of horses which I’ve shared with my daughter who has begun a career as an equine veterinary nurse. We have three horses and our miniature horse Princess Fifi lives at the Matakana Country Park, cared for by Patrick and Christine, and adored by the many children who visit for pony rides.
Why are you standing?
Throughout my career I have always used my voice, as a teacher to educate and encourage our children, as a broadcaster to entertain and inform, as a news reader to tell stories of importance to our people. As a politician, I use my voice to amplify the concerns and issues that matter. It’s a privilege to take the voice of the people to Parliament and find practical, pragmatic solutions for them. I am committed to contributing to our country and specifically to our slice of paradise. Making a meaningful difference for people is a motivating force for me.
Which of your party’s policies resonates most with you?
Primary care is the gatekeeper to the rest of the health system. Keeping people well in the community eases pressure on hospitals. The capitation funding model for general practice was outdated. This has been reviewed under the coalition government, with rurality now being included. A funding uplift for GPs is a good start, but more affordable access to GPs is needed.
Double Pharmac’s medicines budget: In our coalition agreement, New Zealand First was able to increase the medicines budget and instigate the reform of Pharmac. Too many people have been missing out on the medicines and treatments they need. We secured a record budget uplift as well as speeding up the medicines approval process to start addressing the issue. There’s still a funding gap; this must be addressed.
Citizenship: New Zealand First believes in the value of citizenship. Non-citizens who commit a serious crime will be deported.
If elected, what can Kaipara ki Mahurangi voters expect from you as a locally based MP?
A strong local voice in Parliament. I have supported the aquaculture industry and strongly fought for our Mahurangi oyster farmers after significant Watercare infrastructure failures impacted their businesses. This resulted in a $2.75 million payout to support those businesses. Our rockpools were stripped bare by the overharvesting of sea life. I championed the protection of the intertidal zone which saw a ban on the pillaging.
Is there one thing you would like to achieve for this electorate in the next term?
Restore and future-proof funding for Homebuilders Family Services. Homebuilders provides critical support for families, youth and children to access the support they need, when they need it. Centralising these services impacts towns like Warkworth and Wellsford. Auckland service providers waste hours in travel from the city and are not connected to our local community.
What would you do to ensure rapidly growing communities receive the roads, public transport, health services, schools and other infrastructure they need?
This Government has established a new relationship, specifically with Auckland Council to develop a 30-year strategic transport plan. Transport and infrastructure need to be integrated with urban development. This will be led by Auckland Council in consultation with the local community. We believe that infrastructure needed by growth, should be paid for by that growth rather than falling on existing ratepayers and taxpayers. The mechanism for doing this should be a more robust development levy regime. Additionally, Auckland Council needs to take Mahurangi seriously as an important contributor to the wealth and prosperity of the city. We need our fair share of ratepayer funded resources.
What should government do to make it easier for young people to find jobs, apprenticeships and affordable housing locally?
New Zealand First supports workplace learning through apprenticeships and vocational education starting in schools. School to work transition is important. Not everybody needs a university education to get a job.
Apprenticeship Boost supports the employer to keep and take on new apprentices.
New Zealand First is supportive of schools taking on new subjects like financial literacy and AI to help prepare our kids for the future. While many people are worried about what AI means for the future of work, we’ve found AI helps to get rid of the mundane everyday administrative tasks and supports the job you do.
We must make housing more affordable by lowering the cost of a mortgage. That’s why NZ First wants to buy back the BNZ. A New Zealand owned bank will compete against the Aussie banks and bring the cost of a mortgage down.
Issues ranked in priority
(from most important to least important):
Cost of living / financial management
Health
Education
Immigration
Crime and policing
Rural production
Climate adaptation / Defence
Environment
Arts, culture and heritage
Biosecurity …until there’s a biosecurity incursion then this will become an urgent priority.
