Here come the pollies
‘‘Only a fool would take Hamilton West for granted’’ Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe
For a man vying to become New Zealand’s next prime minister, Todd Muller isn’t getting caught up in his new-found status.
National’s newly minted leader was in Hamilton yesterday, one of two visits the 51-year-old is making to the city this week.
‘‘Hi, I’m Todd and I’m the leader of the National Party,’’ was Muller’s go-to riff during a guided tour of Hamilton’s Braemar Hospital yesterday.
And Muller’s back-to-back visits could be a foretaste of what’s to come as political leaders pencil visits to Hamilton into their election campaign diaries.
Muller is due to speak to Hamilton business leaders at a breakfast function this morning, ahead of a flagged major policy announcement at Piarere, southeast of Cambridge, about midday.
National Party insiders are staying tight-lipped on the details of the announcement but the choice of location hints at it being related to the soon-to-becompleted Waikato Expressway.
National has long pushed for the expressway to be extended from Cambridge to Piarere.
The party has also advocated for improved roading links between Hamilton and Tauranga.
National’s Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe said Muller’s visits to Hamilton reflects the importance the party puts on retaining the city’s two seats.
Hamilton West has traditionally been viewed as a bellwether seat, reflecting the wider fortunes of Labour and National.
Macindoe has held Hamilton West for four terms, defeating Labour’s Gaurav Sharma by 7731 votes in 2017.
‘‘Only a fool would take Hamilton West for granted,’’ Macindoe said, adding he predicts a tight contest with Sharma.
‘‘Hamilton West has always been the bellwether electorate and still is. Even at the last election, the result pretty much reflected the party vote around the country.
‘‘Because National was ahead of Labour, I was able to maintain my hold of the seat.’’
Results of a 1 News Colmar Brunton poll released on June 25, show Labour on 50 per cent support, ahead of National on 38.
The Prime Minister’s office wasn’t able to confirm, ahead of deadline, if Jacinda Ardern would visit Hamilton or Waikato during the election campaign.
Green co-leader James Shaw expects to visit Hamilton and Raglan in late August while details of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters’ campaign diary are not yet available.
National Party deputy leader Nikki Kaye as well at National Party MPs Paul Goldsmith, Judith Collins and Amy Adams will all visit Hamilton during the coming months.
Hamilton-based Labour list MP Jamie Strange will contest the Hamilton East electorate and predicts a tight tussle with National MP and incumbent David Bennett.
‘‘Looking back over the past three years, I’m proud of what Labour and I have achieved for Hamilton,’’ Strange said. His highlights include the decisions to base the headquarters for New Zealand’s new national mega polytechnic in Hamilton as well as the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s head office.
‘‘Hamilton has come of age and I’ll be door knocking and attending events to tell people the story of what the Government and I have achieved over the past three years,’’ Strange said.
National’s Hamilton East MP David Bennett said both of Hamilton’s electorates are regarded as marginal seats and is gearing up for a keen contest with Strange.
Hamilton and Waikato benefited from strong investment under the previous National-led government but, under Labour, the city and region has had to make do with ‘‘small scraps’’, Bennett said.
‘‘National’s focus is on big, chunky investment in the Waikato,’’ Bennett said.