Allan urges voters to head to the polling booth

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

LABOUR'S East Coast candidate Kiri Allan is encouraging people to vote, with two days left in the general election.

The list MP said her campaign team had contacted more than 2500 people since voting opened to let people know where their nearest polling booth is.

“Our volunteers are on the phones and at the doors getting the vote out for this year's election.

“It's been an unprecedented year and one of the most historic elections we will see in our lifetime and it's integral to keep our region engaged, so please, load up the car/van/bike/waka, get your walk on, and get your family and friends together and head down to the polling booths.

“Our Prime Minister visited Gisborne last week and among the many events we visited Titirangi, where government funding has created jobs for rangatahi and others in the community, and we walked the streets of Gisborne where the response was overwhelming.”

Ms Allan said the PM also met with local business owners, spoke at a lunch for Labour Party members and volunteers at the campaign hub and visited the EIT Tairawhiti campus, including the trades block and Toihoukura School of Maori Visual Art and Design.

“The response to the boss's visits showed me that our community supports and can see what the Labour Party is doing and will continue doing for not only the country but the East Coast.

“We are investing in our people, in decent jobs, in our environment and in our region.

“We are planting seeds now for our future.”

Finance minister Grant Robertson also visited the region, on Monday, and met with businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, Sports Tairawhiti and leaders from across the Tairawhiti who shared Rau Tipu, Rau Ora — the region's aspirations for our rebuild.

“During his visit the Minister shared Labour's economic plan of stability and growth as well as showing off our region and some of the projects the government has invested in,' said Ms Allan.

“The East Coast has been a region we have focused on heavily as a government for investment due to under-investment over decades, where it has been largely neglected.

“It was great having the Minister of Finance here to assure our people that investment will continue so that our region can flourish in the Covid-19 recovery.

“Campaigning enables me to be on the ground and I love being with the people and getting to the core of what is on people's minds,” said Ms Allan.

“What is incredibly evident is that Labour has and is making massive changes and that is being noticed in the community.

“We inherited a housing crisis among a raft of issues that hit our region hard.

“We have done so much — but we have so much more to do.

“So if you give us two ticks, we will keep moving and make sure that change will continue to happen.

“The East Coast deserves an MP that is at the heart of government.

“I bring experience, relationships across the entire region, the ability to get things done and a track record of delivering here in the East Coast,” Kiri Allan said.