National-Greens coalition a possibility
However, a low for Macindoe was encountering an aggressive man while out door-knocking, something that happens very rarely, he said.
A high was the Meet the Candidates meeting at the Central Baptist Church on Charlemont St.
Although Macindoe believes a National-NZ First Government is the most likely due to numbers, he isn’t ruling out the possibility of a National-Greens coalition.
‘‘The Greens have painted themselves into a corner to the left of Labour, which doesn’t make sense to me. Why would the environment be a left or right issue?
‘‘I’m a member of the Bluegreens, it’s our largest policy group, and I’m passionately committed to a lot of these environmental policies. So it disappoints me that the Greens refuse to talk to us,’’ Macindoe said.
The Greens have never formally been in government, and if they exercised ‘‘a bit more clout’’, they would be able to gain some significant wins, he said.
If National is to govern for the next three years, personal goals for Macindoe include continuing to support the Waikato Medical School and the Roads of National Significance.
He is also a passionate advocate for the Southern Links Project, an expressway designed to take pressure off the industrial area of Hamilton West, bypassing Kahikatea Dr, heading out to the airport and beyond.
He also wants Hamilton West to get their fair share of the $272 million allocated for opening Peacockes subdivision.
‘‘I’ve been arguing for years that Hamilton’s growth lacks balance. I don’t think all of the investment being in the northeast is good for Hamilton longterm.
‘‘As the Hamilton West MP, my electorate includes Melville, Bader, Fitzroy, Deanwell. Those southern suburbs have not seen anything like the investment and new services that the north-east has had.’’
National’s David Bennett will also enter Parliament for a fifthterm as the Hamilton East MP.
Watching the votes mount up in his favour at the Wanderers Football Club on Saturday night, Bennett reclaimed the seat with a lead of 5000 from Labour candidate Jamie Strange.
But there was no love lost between the two Hamilton East candidates, with Strange congratulating Bennett on the win.
Strange, who received close to 11,000 votes, is now a freshly minted MP thanks to the party list.
Bennett, Minister for Food Safety, Veterans’ Affairs and Racing in the last Government, was relieved on the night.
‘‘Politics is a difficult game. There are ups and downs and you never know what is going to happen next, and you never know public opinion until the final poll comes in.
‘‘So, of course you do have moments when you go, what is actually happening and where do we stand?’’