Ron ready to make his mark in Wairarapa electorate

New Zealand First deputy leader Ron Mark hopes to be elected as the Wairarapa MP in this year's election. Photo/ Christine McKay.

Election Candidate Profile: Ron Mark (New Zealand First)
Wairarapa Electorate

The New Zealand First deputy leader is ready to make his mark in this year's election standing for the Wairarapa electorate.

Ron Mark jumped on the political bandwagon back in 1993 after his mother-in-law, who was the chairwoman of the Selwyn Labour Electorate Committee, convinced him to stand for Parliament against Ruth Richardson.

Although unsuccessful, Mr Mark carried his passion in politics forward after meeting with Winston Peters in 1996.

He was elected to Parliament as a New Zealand First list MP in 1996 and after four terms was not re-elected in 2008.

In between his stints in Parliament Mr Mark was elected mayor of Carterton in 2010 and was re-elected unopposed in 2013, he held appointments as a contractor for the Ministry of Maori Development Te Puni Kokiri and was chief executive of the Federation of Maori Authorities.

However, this didn't halt his passion for politics and in 2014 he was back in Parliament for New Zealand First.

Mr Mark said he was drawn to the party as they thought of New Zealand and New Zealanders "first and foremost".

"We think is this good for New Zealand and our nation long term, does this preserve our culture and way of life and is it looking after the most vulnerable? We defend our flag to the hilt."

He said they are a party with attitude, who are not afraid to say what people think and put things on the table that other people "pussy foot" around.

Mr Mark was born in Masterton and was raised as a ward of the state, growing up in a number of foster care homes throughout Napier and the Wairarapa.

He was brought up as a rural lad who loved the outdoors, hunting, trapping possums and riding in pony club.

He attended Tararua College and at the age of 16 was accepted into the New Zealand Army's Regular Force Cadet School, Waiouru, graduating into the Regular Army in 1971 as a soldier mechanic.

Mr Mark served 15 years in New Zealand and did five years of service with the Sultan of Oman's Land Forces and the Sultan's Special Force in the Dhofar.

Due to his upbringing, Mr Mark believed he had a strong sense of compassion and could give a degree of empathy to those in need more than any of his rival candidates.

"I can say confidently that if elected I will have a great deal of influence for the Wairarapa but I need the mandate to represent it. As number two on the list for the party I am not representing Wairarapa so I need to be elected as the electoral candidate.

"My vision is to have a healthy, happy and prosperous Wairarapa and I feel the biggest issue is that this electorate has not been represented properly in Parliament."

Mr Mark asked for people to give him the opportunity in these next three years to show what he can do.

"If I am useless then fire me next time around but I think people need to give me a shot as we need to get Wairarapa heard in Parliament around the table."