WORTH IT: Returning Labour MP Stuart Nash was able to relax at home with wife Sarah yesterday, after a hectic campaign. PHOTO/WARREN BUCKLAND.
HBT17212507.JPG. WORTH IT: Returning Labour MP Stuart Nash was able to relax at home with wife Sarah yesterday, after a hectic campaign. PHOTO/WARREN BUCKLAND. By Victoria White.
Pen Portrait
Age: 50
Married: Married
Children: Four children
Previous roles: Chemiplas NZ Ltd Business Unit Manager and General Manager Marketing, Chief of Staff to the
Leader of the Opposition, Director of Strategic Development at AUT, Investor Relations AUT Millennium, Executive Director AUT South Campus
Likely future role: May retain current police, forestry, and economic development portfolios
From a Cabinet minister with a Beehive office, to another three years in opposition - the future of Napier's re-elected Labour MP Stuart Nash could go either way.
But for now, he's happy to have held his seat, able to continue fighting for the people of Napier - no matter what happens in the coming weeks.
After a jovial election night party on Marine Parade, yesterday was the first in months where not a moment of Mr Nash's day was spent doorknocking, phone calling, or sign waving.
He said was relieved and "absolutely ecstatic" to have held Napier, with 18,407 people casting their vote for him despite the electorate once again largely voting blue in the party vote.
"I don't think any MP is ever happy with their majority but again it's just about working really hard and concentrating on the issues that are important to the people of Napier," he said.
"I've always said I'll keep doing this as long as the passion exists, and the day I wake up and I've lost the belief I can make a difference, that's the day I hang up the boots.
"But the passion's still really strong, we've got a lot of work to do in the next three years, we're going to have a little bit of a break and then get back into it."
This will be Mr Nash's second term as Napier MP, winning in 2014 after an unsuccessful attempt in 2011.
However, it's a bittersweet victory - after a slow start polling had Labour within a narrow margin of National, if not beating the three-term governing party.
But its upward trajectory stalled, and on Saturday night the party received only 35.8 per cent of the vote, compared to National's 46 per cent.
The returning MP maintains there is still hope for his party - with special votes yet to be counted.
"Obviously we would have liked to have gotten a higher party vote across the country," he said.
"There's still negotiations to happen and that's up to [Labour leader Jacinda Ardern] and her team to kick those off and who knows, I may be a Cabinet minister. There's everything from being an opposition MP through to being Cabinet minister in government, you just never know."
Although his aim is a Beehive office, the Napier Hill resident does face the possibility of spending another three years in opposition.
"You don't get into politics to be in opposition, you really don't," he said. "You can make a difference, we think we had about 1000 constituents through the office in three years and we helped a lot of those people.
"But you get in to politics to implement the really big ideas, and I had fantastic vision around what we could do with [his portfolios of] New Zealand police force and with forestry and with economic development."
If Labour were to remain in opposition, he'd love to retain his current portfolios - being spokesman for police, forestry, and economic development, which included regional development.
This would be up to the party's leaders. No matter what happened in the coming weeks, Mr Nash promised to fight to fix issues in the Napier electorate.
"There's a lot of work to be done but again nothing changes for me, I'll continue to stand up for what's important for the people of Napier no matter where they live, or who's in government."
For now the father-of-four was celebrating his weekend victory. This included the three aims he and his team settled on going into the campaign - to hold the Napier seat, increase Labour's party vote, and to increase voter turnout.
He could have achieved all three - he won the seat with a 4000 vote majority, and increased Labour's party vote by about 3000. Voter turnout so far sits 2000 below 2014, but this could change with special votes yet to be tallied.
Although Labour did not win the Napier party vote, Mr Nash said he was pleased the National party lead shrunk dramatically.
"We don't just stand up for the issues that are important to Labour people, we stand up for the issues that are important for Napier".
Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri also swept to victory on Saturday.
Mr Nash said he was "gutted" for unsuccessful Tukituki candidate Anna Lorck.
"She ran a two and a half year, high energy campaign. I feel gutted for her but I don't think Anna could have done anything more than she did, she worked really, really hard.
"I know she'll be feeling a little bit disappointed but I think she can hold her head high because it was a great campaign."
He was confident he could work well with the new Tukituki MP, former Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule.
With both taking vocal, opposing stances on amalgamation there was a perception the two were "arch enemies", Mr Nash said, but they got on well.
"I have no problem working with Lawrence on the issues that are important, and there are areas that we do need to work closely on, no matter who's in government.
"We get on well and it's a genuine friendship. After all, we both live in Napier."
Looking forward, Mr Nash said he was going to enjoy a short, well-earned break. His street corner meetings would not resume until February.
"One thing I would say is to all those who did vote for me and put their confidence in me, I'd like to thank them very, very much," he said.
"If I haven't got your vote then I'd like to win your respect over the next three years, because for me it's about doing the right thing for Napier.
"I think we live in the best city, in the greatest country in the world, and so onwards and upwards."