Dannevirke: Mark ready to fight for votes

Ron Ashford of Dannevirke talks to Ron Mark, New Zealand First candidate in the Wairarapa electorate, at a meeting in Dannevirke on Sunday. Photo / Christine McKay

It's going to be a battle for the Wairarapa seat in the upcoming general election, but 20 years in the military has set Ron Mark up for the challenge, he believes.

The New Zealand First candidate has hit the ground running after deciding to stand in the election just 14 days ago.

"The truth is I was busy and had no great need or desire to go back into Parliament," he said in Dannevirke on Sunday. "But back in August it became clear to me the Wairarapa was going to get the worst representation ever and I thought we need better than this."

Mr Mark, who was born and bred in Pahiatua, said after 12 years in Parliament, he knows how the place works.

"I know this government respects me, they put me on two district health boards, but I'm also someone they fear," he said.

"I'll be their eye dog, nipping at their heels and chasing them up. This is the most crucial election in my life and New Zealand First could be the choker collar on National."

On election day the Wairarapa seat could come down to a handful of votes, Mr Mark said.

"It could be so close as to be a repeat of when Wyatt Creech won the seat by a judicial review over Labour's Reg Borman.

"This time it's going to be a two-horse race between me and Alastair Scott (National) and he's going to pull up lame."

At No9 on his party's list, Mr Mark said he wants to make it into Parliament on the electorate vote, not the party vote.

At the start of Sunday's meeting Dannevirke's Ron Ashford was one of the large percentage of undecided voters reported in the electorate.

"Usually by this time I'm well decided, but for the first time since I moved here 40 years ago, I'm still weighing up my party and candidate vote," he told the Dannevirke News. "I think Ron [Mark] is a good candidate and in terms of my party vote, for me it's either the Conservatives or New Zealand First. Or do I just go with one of the main parties?"

Mr Mark has been the mayor of Carterton for four years and is the lead negotiator for Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tamaki Nui a Rua Trust in its Treaty of Waitangi settlement talks with the Government.

"Voters in the electorate have had enough," he said.

"Our rural councils have seen what changes to the Local Government Act have done and with the NZTA rewriting the road funding rules someone needs to ensure these funds continue to come into rural areas. Rural roads are the veins of our economy and are the major cost for our councils."

After the meeting Mr Ashford said Mr Mark had made a good statement for the electorate vote, while most in the audience were talking of giving their vote to the New Zealand First candidate too.