Will it be four terms for Tim?
Will Hamilton West voters decide it’s time for change or remain with the status quo at this year’s general election? and speak to the electorate’s candidates from National, Labour and the Green Party.
From the outside it looks like National’s Tim Macindoe has the Hamilton West electorate won before a vote has even been cast.
Opinion writers suggest Labour has given up contesting the seat and the Greens didn’t figure highly at the 2014 election to pose a threat this time around.
But Macindoe, the electorate’s first minister, said he hasn’t met his opponents, face to face, in a campaign situation and suggestions it’d be a clear run to the end for him were premature.
‘‘I sent a message to Dr [Gaurav) Sharma to congratulate him after he was confirmed as Labour’s candidate. He looks to be well qualified and has an impressive professional background.
‘‘Jo Wrigley [Greens] I have met few times now but haven’t had the chance to debate with her yet.
‘‘But there are a lot of variables. Some polls show New Zealand First being in a position to form a Government. I think the Maori Party will pick up three or four seats while the polls suggest just two.
‘‘Act will be interesting because I think David Seymour is a capable campaigner. People ‘‘So I’m a little bit in limbo, not have written off Peter Dunne but knowing exactly what I’m up it will be hard to dislodge him against.’’ ¯fromO ha¯riu.’’
Macindoe isn’t dining out on A Labour-New Zealand First Labour’s woes, after incumbent Government was a calculation list MP Sue Moroney was dumped Macindoe said was a possibility as the party’s candidate for the but in-fighting with the Greens 2017 election. could send a message that such a
‘‘Sue had worked hard as an marriage would be ‘‘unstable’’. MP and probably deserved better Macindoe is the Minister of than what she got from Labour. Customs, Associate Minister of Hamilton is a bellwether seat, I Transport and Associate Minister know I’ve got to work hard for of Education. He has ambitions of that fourth term and history moving further up the political would suggest I’d be up against ladder but ruled out a tilt at prime it.’’ minister.
Macindoe has been the MP for Instead, earning a place on the Hamilton West since 2008. He’s front bench was more realistic. optimistic ‘‘but not confident’’ The foreign affairs portfolio or National will become a fourthSpeaker of the House were long term Government. term goals.
He knows traditionally people Senior portfolios focusing on look for change after a Governsocial issues would be his ment has been in power for three preference as he believed the terms. biggest problem facing the elector- ate was vulnerable children.
‘‘Hamilton is on a roll. The city is thriving but within that there is a core group of families doing it tough. In many cases it’s the chil- dren who are suffering, some of them aren’t even making it to the starting blocks of education.
‘‘They are in dysfunctional families, subjected to abuse and various types of neglect. All I want is for them to have the same opportunities as I would expect for my own children.’’
Macindoe’s banking on the Government’s new Oranga Tamariki to help come up with policies to improve the situation.
He admits he would not have seen this problem when he was a teacher at St Peter’s in Cambridge but it was his previous work with the Ministry of Education which put him in direct contact with struggling families.
‘‘But you would have to have your head buried in the sand not to know we have these problems around the country.’’
When it comes to encouraging more young people to vote, Macindoe uses last year’s Hamilton City Council election as an example.
‘‘Last year we had a mayoral election where the winner was decided on just eight votes, that certainly shows how important it is to vote.’’