Candidates begin their campaigns
Strange said he would ask people ‘‘for two ticks’’, contesting the party vote and the electorate vote.
‘‘I believe I have got a shot here. There is a swing going on at the moment. I known 10,000 [votes] is a lot but it’s not impossible.’’
Strange said he had learnt from the 2014 campaign in Taupo.
‘‘It was difficult to campaign there because you had to drive two hours before you could talk to anyone. The difference now is that I’m living where I am campaigning.
‘‘I want to show people they have a choice. In previous elections, I think voters knew who our opposition candidate was, but not the Labour candidate.’’
Strange said he understood a perception Labour looks to be unstable following media coverage of its party list allocation and the imminent departure of its list MP for Hamilton, Sue Moroney.
‘‘Sue and I are good friends and this [her leaving] means we can’t campaign together. Certainly she was a strong advocate on issues for families, women and workers.
‘‘She worked incredibly hard and was the only Labour MP for the whole of the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.’’
He expected the party to name a new candidate to contest Hamilton West shortly.
‘‘It is now vitally important to show the Hamilton East electorate that Labour is stable and that we are ready for government.’’
THE INCUMBENT
He has enjoyed a 10,000-vote majority over his nearest rivals for the past three elections but National’s David Bennett is taking the lead as granted.
‘‘Every election you have to start from a clean slate, it’s a matter of working hard and developing what your community wants.’’
Bennett is a minister outside of cabinet, in charge of Veterans’ Affairs, Food Safety and Racing portfolios.
He is one of four National MPs, now ministers, working in the Waikato region.
And he’s quick to point out the advances his party has made in the region and what sets National apart from the Labour and Greens parties.
It includes work on the Waikato Expressway and policies around housing and IT, as well as his support for the Waikato medical school proposal.
‘‘We announced the four-lane road, extension of the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere, which will later go on to make that connection to Tauranga.
‘‘That’s really important in terms of growing strong economic production, enhancing that link between the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland.
‘‘The Labour Party and Greens won’t support any roading project in the Waikato, haven’t supported the expressway and that is the real point of difference.’’
Staying with transport, all parties have been involved in meetings to discuss a commuter rail between Hamilton and Auckland.
Bennett said he was not against the idea but the current plan on the table didn’t stack up.
‘‘The opposition propose a diesel train, carrying a small number of people between Hamilton and Auckland, and they are suggesting that’s going to take a $2m subsidy.
‘‘If we are serious about this, I think the rail network needs to be electrified and fully integrated with the Auckland network, and that might cost nearly $300m. That’s where we should be looking, not just a quick fix.’’
Hamilton’s development as an IT centre for New Zealand is also something Bennett wants to see furthered, if he is elected, for another three years.
‘‘It’s really about presenting Hamilton as a strong IT centre. We’ve got a lot of great firms working in this aea and it’s vitally important for the economic development of the city.
‘‘We need to develop an IT brand for Hamilton, look at ways we can build the brand. We’ve got a lot of young, smart people coming out of Waikato University and the wananga [Te Wananga o Aotearoa] who could be part of the evolution of Hamilton.’’
Bennett promised his work as a minister outside of cabinet did not mean he would have less time for people in his electorate.
‘‘It just means I’ve go a lot of work to do. And the best way to get around people is simply by door knocking, attending events and being active in the community.
‘‘Being a minister does give you extra responsibilities but also a real chance to make a difference in certain areas.’’
He will be campaigning with his neighbouring Hamilton West MP, Tim Macindoe, as the election nears.
RELUCTANT POLITICIAN
Self-proclaimed ‘‘justice junkie’’ Sam Taylor is Hamilton East’s Green Party candidate.
The 28-year-old is campaigning for the party vote but won’t stop there if people select her to lead the electorate.
She was a Global Poverty Project ambassador, and in 2012 was awarded the Hamilton City Youth Council Environmental Leadership Award.
Taylor has been a member of the Green Party for eight years, and the political group has always been her first choice.
‘‘I love their values. It seems to me they are a party that are based on evidence and they say the things I believe need to be said.’’
The ‘‘reluctant politician’’ is not interested in power, but has climbed her way to number 22 on the Green Party list, the highest ranked candidate in Hamilton.
She works as a Youth Justice Team Leader at Anglican Action supporting underprivileged young people and is chairwoman of both the Trade Aid Kirikiriroa and Waikato Queer Youth Board of Trustees.
Her role as ‘‘an ally for the community’’ introduced the former Waikato Diocesan School for Girls’ pupil to topics that stuck with her over the years.
‘‘My background is pretty privileged and yet I found myself working in youth development.
‘‘I love Hamilton, but working as a youth worker I’ve been appalled by the stark contrast between our young people who are thriving, and people who are really struggling.
‘‘My heart is in social justice. We have so much opportunity, potential and hope here. We could be an inspiring little nation.’’
Taylor is studying towards a diploma in Child Protection Studies.
With that, combined with her undergrad in psychology, she isn’t ruling out potential job roles with Government in the future.
For now, Taylor’s campaign promises focus around water quality, adequate income support, the welfare system and conservation.
One of the goals of the Green Party is to see New Zealand’s electricity 100 per cent renewable by 2030, she said.
‘‘I want the campaign to be about having bigger, better, decent conversations. Essentially, around how we are treating other people.’’
‘‘There’s loads of things we can improve on but a lot of efforts are being made.
‘‘With housing, there are a lot of people who are transient or are in unstable housing conditions.
‘‘We don’t offer that security that we used to. I’m Hamilton East through and through. I studied here, I work here. I love this place and we have so much opportunity to see more people thrive.’’