Disappointment at absence of three candidates

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

Labour’s Tāmati Coffey and the Green Party’s Jordan Walker are friendly East Coast political adversaries and hold similar views on the health sector.

The possibility of more vigorous debate and disagreement at a health-themed election meeting held on Thursday night was diminished by the absence of three other invited candidates.

Independent MP and Te Pāti Māori candidate for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, Meka Whaitiri, could not attend as she is at the tangi of the mother of party co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

Organisers of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation’s Maranga Mai Election Evening Hui said they were disappointed at the candidate turnout.

Approximately 60 people attended the event at the War Memorial Hall, including nurses from Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti, primary health care, iwi providers, aged care and students.

Mr Coffey said he understood nurses were frustrated about the health sector and anxious about the state of nursing.

He was just as frustrated.

The Government was passionate about nursing issues.

“What guts me is that the National Party and ACT, when they were in (power), did nothing for nursing.

“They didn’t lift pay rates at all so we are left with a bloody big gap.”

Labour had tried hard to “fill the gap”.

It was really hard to stand and watch nurses strike around the country.

Mr Coffey said the Government had introduced the Māori Health Authority. National would unwind it.

Labour had abolished fees in the first year of study and opened “the green list” to foreign nurses.

Jordan Walker said most of their (Māori) mother’s whānau were dead because of health disparities for Māori.

“That really pisses me off.”

Nurses genuinely cared, but it was unfair when they were paid inadequately.

There was sufficient wealth in the country which could be “unlocked” to pay people what they deserved.

The “big one”, the wealth tax, was supported by 60 percent of New Zealanders.

Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori were “all friends”.

They invited voters to vote strategically.

Nurses were tired. “You can see it.

“That’s scary and so unfair.”