PM backs out-of-towner to claim city seat
Palmerston North’s new National candidate says elections are won by face-to-face campaigning – although she does not yet live in the city.
Adrienne Pierce was confirmed as the party’s candidate in April, despite living in Havelock North, taking over from former city mayor Jono Naylor.
Naylor is bowing out of national politics after a single term as a list MP. His replacement is a sitting councillor on the Hastings District Council, who does not yet live in Palmerston North.
Pierce and her husband will be moving to the city by June, at the latest. Pierce said she was ‘‘champing at the bit’’ to start meeting people and campaigning.
‘‘Face to face is how elections are won,’’ she said.
Pierce said she was ‘‘100 per cent committed’’ to the people of Palmerston North.
‘‘Palmerston North is a growing economic powerhouse and I am really excited to be representing the National Party as its candidate.’’
By comparison, incumbent Palmerston North MP Iain Leesgalloway has lived in the city for 19 years – just over half his life. Lees-galloway said he had studied in the city, worked there, and his children had grown up there.
When Pierce was announced as the candidate, Lees-galloway said it was not unusual for people outside a district to be selected. However, he said it was helpful to live in the community.
Prime Minister Bill English was not concerned that Pierce was an out-of-towner. Asked if she would have enough time to earn the trust of the voters, English responded: ‘‘That is why we have elections, to find out. We are very confident in our candidate.’’
English visited Manawatu last week to meet voters and he was confident in Pierce’s ability. ‘‘She will be a good candidate – [a] very hard working person.’’
The only other confirmed candidate for the Palmerston North seat is the Green Party’s Thomas Nash.
He was born and raised in the city, but left to become a disarmament campaigner.
Meanwhile, NZ First MP Darroch Ball is still unconfirmed for the race for the city seat.