Life of the party becomes ACT’s new party candidate
Anneka Carlson was once employed to get people up on their feet for summer holiday promotional gigs at beach resorts around the country.
The newly announced ACT Party candidate for New Plymouth would now be encouraging people to stand up and vote for her in this year’s election.
‘‘I was what they called the ‘hype girl’ paid to get everyone up and dancing,’’ the fitness studio owner said.
‘‘I’ve always been the life of the party. I still am but now I’m a bit more responsible and street smart.’’
Carlson is seventh on the list and would enter parliament if ACT gained 5 per cent of the party vote.
The 28-year-old never dreamt of being a politician but standing for ACT ‘‘just feels right.’’
Parliament needed people with life skills and her life experiences would help stand her in good stead if she is elected, she said.
The former West Auckland police officer owned her own business in New Plymouth, is a North Taranaki SPCA board member, and ran fitness programmes for cancer support groups.
She is also completing a business studies degree extra-murally at Massey University.
ACT’s policies on law and order, education, and taxation ‘‘hit a chord’’, she said.
Personal responsibility always been high on her list.
‘‘I’ve come from a fairly privileged upbringing and I’ve also seen the domestic violence and child abuse as a police officer. ‘‘The policies just made sense.’’ Being tough on crime meant a lot, she said.
She supported ACT’s policy to add burglary to the three strikes had rule for violent offending.
Carlson supported partnership schools, or charter school systems, to create an environment where those with low skills can reach their goals.
‘‘We all don’t fit into one box and partnership schools can help those who don’t fit into the education system to achieve in another area.’’
ACT would free up the Resource Management Act to enable more land to be developed for housing, she said.
‘‘We need to relax the regulations around land so we can build more houses.’’
National had let voters down, she said.
‘‘I’m disappointed in what they have done as the government.
‘‘I want to get the word out a vote for ACT will help restore National’s backbone.’’
She is committed to making that happen, she said.