Tamaki political candidates have mixed views
Tamaki’s political candidates are as diverse as the electorate they want to represent.
The four main candidates are National’s Simon O’connor, Labour’s Sam Mcdonald, ACT’S Michael Milne and Green’s Richard Leckinger.
Current MP Simon O’connor was elected in 2011 and 2014.
Raised in Whangarei, he trained to become a Catholic priest before politics.
O’connor has backed the Tamaki Drive project, which would see an upgrade to the seaside road, making it safer.
O’connor recently made headlines for controversial comments linking Jacinda Ardern’s stance on euthanasia to youth suicide.
His comments were met with widespread condemnation, including from Tamaki Labour candidate Sam Mcdonald, who is campaigning for the seat for the first time.
Mcdonald describes himself as a ‘‘street warrior’’.
The 27-year-old said he joined to try engage Auckland’s youth
‘‘A lot of Glen Innes lives in poverty this community needs immediate support.’’ Sam Mcdonald
vote.
If elected, Mcdonald would move the Tamaki electorate office to Glen Innes.
‘‘A lot of Glen Innes lives in poverty - many are homeless and many live in cold cars - this community needs immediate support,’’ Mcdonald said.
Running for the second time is ACT’S Michael Milne from Remuera. He is keeping a low profile, instead focusing on securing the party vote.
Milne, who owns a web design business, said if elected his priority would be to reduce immigration.
‘‘New Zealand has brought a high number of immigrants in and I am not convinced they have added any value to our country,’’ Milne said.
For Green’s candidate Richard Leckinger, who has run for the Tamaki seat three times, managing humanitarian relief projects in war zones made him realise how important politics was.
Leckinger set up a children’s therapeutic feeding centre in Somalia in 2013 and said the biggest challenge was negotiating with politicians.
‘‘So, I decided it was important to become one.’’
Leckinger said he agreed with O’connor that the Tamaki Drive upgrade was a priority.