Hamilton News asked MPs David Bennett and Nanaia Mahuta what they feel are the most pressing issues for constituents ahead of this year's election. Here's what they said:
David Bennett
National MP
Hamilton East
The most pressing issue for Hamiltonians is economic growth. Hamilton is strategically placed close to Auckland and Tauranga. This has seen good population growth rates in the last few years. Economic growth is now also starting to take off.
The challenge now is to take advantage of this opportunity. This National Government has been doing exactly that with large capital investments in our city.
First, completing the Waikato Expressway. The major roadworks leading into our city demonstrates this investment. However, 2015 is a crucial year as the Hamilton and Huntly bypasses are due to start construction at this time. With price tags in excess of $600m each, this is an opportunity Hamilton cannot let slip away. Anything other than a National Government puts our city and region at risk. A Labour and Green Government would not complete these projects and Hamilton has the most to lose from a change in government.
We have also invested in our hospital, new schools in the North-East of Hamilton and our ultra-fast fibre network. These investments all add to creating the economic environment for Hamilton to grow.
Along with this prudent economic management, we have invested heavily in our people through social spending. Benefits have been maintained in the most difficult of times and Superannuation payments have increased. National has also focused on maintaining a strong environment and an open community for all peoples.
This Government has a plan for New Zealand and Hamilton. We need a strong National Government to complete that infrastructural development. Hamilton has the most to lose from any region from a change in government as we need to complete the Waikato Expressway.
Nanaia Mahuta
Labour MP
Hauraki-Waikato
There are times when you feel grateful for your upbringing. Usually it's the times when you reflect on the good old days when things were simple. I was talking to a mother of two children who herself belonged to a whanau with six children and two working parents.
She remembers a humble upbringing but a very rich whanau life making fun from anything and everything. The real memories were of times around the kai table, going to school, whanau outings and meeting the extended family. We both agreed that no matter how chaotic our lives were, education mattered, there was always kai on the table and our parents worked hard to give us opportunities.
Today families want those same things yet so many struggle to make a living and give their children a better life.
Inequality and poverty is the uppermost challenge in a developed society and New Zealand must do more to change the lives of approximately 270,000 children who are the most vulnerable in our society.
If we take a closer look these children come from one parent, or beneficiary-dependent whanau who deserve the same shot at opportunity as the rest of us.
To address those needs a more targeted approach must be taken. A range of policy responses working together can make a real difference so whanau can be assured of a good paying job, a warm decent home, good educational opportunities and affordable healthcare.
The solutions are not a one size fits all approach but they do require a better distribution of wealth so everyone gets ahead. That's why I'll be campaigning hard for a Labour Government.