As the former MP for Waiariki, he was more familiar with the Bay of Plenty side of the vast East Coast electorate but had visited Gisborne may times.
His paternal mother was born and bred in Tolaga Bay and as soon as he decided to stand in East Coast, he visited the grave of his grandmother to seek her blessing and “had a little korero with her”.
Mr Coffey described himself as “the ring-in” after the resignation of Kiri Allan but he was a “happy ring-in”.
Labour had introduced cheap school lunches, abolished prescription charges and were on the way to creating universal dental care.
Surrogacy laws were not fit for purpose, said Mr Coffey, a gay man who with his partner has two children.
“We’re In It For You”, was the Labour election slogan, and the saying also applied to him.
“When I say I’m in it for you, I need you to believe I’m it for you.”
The National Party’s Dana Kirkpatrick said her life and work experience and many years of living in Gisborne had left her with an ability to find creative solutions.
She was disillusioned about the state of the country and believed significant change was required.
“I see friends, family, communities really struggling.
"I'm a mother of two children - they are worried about training access, health costs, mental health, and how they'll ever be able to afford their own home."
Under National, school attendance rates would improve, and students would learn to read and write.
Roads would be fit for purpose “and you’re not going to die in a pothole”.
The country was more divided than ever before.
Ms Kirkpatrick said she had a track record for getting things done and would advocate for the electorate.
“We take people on a journey with us, we listen, and we deliver practical, common sense solutions.”
The country under National would be one where the Government did not stifle the economy.
Green Party candidate Jordan Walker said they were campaigning for the party vote.
The Green Party stood for the environment, social justice, equity, non-violence and pay equity.
The party’s income guarantee policy would ensure no one in work would get less than $385 a week.
The policy would reduce crime.
Chris Robinson of Democracy NZ said his party did not accept “the climate change narrative”, co-governance or the indoctrination of children at school.
The public needed all truthful and appropriate data about Covid-19.
Doctors should be able to speak the truth.
The Government should look after the vaccine-injured.
Te Pāti Māori candidate in Ikaroa-Rawhiti Meka Whaitiri reminded the audience that East Coast voters could still cast a party vote for her party.
Both Ms Whaitiri and Ms Tangaere-Manuel told the audience of their local origins and humble beginnings.
Ms Whaitiri said her party was not separatist and wanted to “raise the economy for everybody.”
The Māori economy was worth $70 billion.
“I’m an unapologetically Māori candidate.
There were many “unblocked” Māori assets in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa
Ms Whaitiri said politics was about the exchange of ideas not “my way or the highway”.
Te Pāti Māori would bring solutions to the table like tax relief or economic development.
There was no difference between Maori and Pakeha.
“We’re passionate about this country, we’ve got some solutions.
As Maori people, we’re not leaving this country.”
Ms Whaitiri said was passionate about Tairawhiti and wanted change, and to present solutions.
Ms Tangaere-Manuel spoke of her business and entrepreneurial experiences and her time at East Coast where she was the only woman in such a position in New Zealand Rugby.
There was much untapped opportunity in Tairawhiti.
She wanted to encourage rangatahi and wahine to go out and do the mahi.
Her experiences had left her with qualities of adaptability, a broad knowledge of the Māori community and awareness of the region’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Labour supported her values, “particularly with 6900 wahine businesses in the country.
