Election 2020: Matt King calls for more Govt funding to fight meth

The Northern Advocate and NZME Northland digital and radio platforms, are giving you, the voters, a chance to hear why the candidates standing deserve your vote on October 17.
Northern Advocate reporter Imran Ali and The Hits Northland day announcer Charmaine Soljak have interviewed candidates from the three Northland electorates – Whangārei, Northland and Te Tai Tokerau.

We caught them on video, too, so head to thenorthernadvocate.co.nz and thehits.co.nz to read about the candidates, listen to and watch what they have to say.

Over the next two weeks, The Hits Northland, The Northern Advocate, and the Northland Age will introduce you to the candidates, so you can read, watch and hear about what they've had to say, and be well informed before you cast your vote.

Today we look at candidates in the Northland electorate.

A pilot project that treats meth users as victims and more funding for organised crime units were the most effective ways to deal with the pernicious drug in Northland.

Former policeman and MP Matt King is once again the National Party's candidate in Northland and has outlined his plans to deal with the most pressing issues facing voters in his constituency.

He believes meth could be tackled via a two-pronged approach.

"From an ex-policeman's point of view, we need to fund and invest in our organised crime units so they can target the producers and distributors of this evil drug, and that's the gangs.

"But also I am really in favour of what's happened in Whangārei, that pilot scheme that treats users as victims and refers them to counselling. That is a real winner and it's working.

"I say if it works here and we're the methamphetamine, not the capital, but we pretty much are of the country, then we should roll that around the country."

To listen to the Hits Northland host Charmaine Soljak's interview click here

He was referring to Northland pilot scheme aimed at counteracting the meth scourge's harmful effect on the community by not only catching and prosecuting criminal activity behind the drug but also referring users to treatment, education and community-based help services.

The Te Ara Oranga programme was launched in September 2017.

King laments a lack of core infrastructure development in his constituency and is pushing for a four-lane highway which he reckons is the single biggest driver of economic growth in the region.

He refers to as a "pipe dream and a political rhetoric by New Zealand First" the idea behind relocating the Ports of Auckland to Northport.

"It's not based on reality. But I am supportive of Northport growing as much as it can, to its maximum footprint and utilising all that land that's available and even taking overflow from Auckland but the idea that Auckland Port can be transplanted to Northport is so unrealistic.

"If you talk to people that know the basic understanding— people that run both ports and everyone involved— you'll realise that that is just a New Zealand First rhetoric to get votes in Northland."

He blames housing shortage in Northland on the Resource Management Act which he thinks needs to go.

A scheme in South Australia where land is freed up to develop buildings and to build houses cheaper would be one way of addressing the chronic affordable housing shortage, he said.

"Also there are some smaller schemes around like for example in Kaitaia where they've provided housing for low income people so there's good arguments for that.

"I know another group in Kaikohe who are getting portacoms available so that takes them out of the motels in Kaikohe and off the Government books and putting them on Māori land so people for the first time ever are living in a warm, dry home. Very modest, humble home," King said.

His personal view is that local councils in Northland should be amalgamated that will result in savings and a lack of duplication.

People, he said, needed to be realistic about using Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in our environment.

"We could grow rye grass in New Zealand which will have cows with low emissions but we can't even grow this stuff here because our rules require it to be grown in the US and it's going to take years.

"I just think we have to get it out of our heads that it's a big, evil, two-headed fish that come out of this sort of modification stuff when actually science tells us we can have massive advances in our food production and our civilisation."

King wants a Border Protection Agency set up so that people like students can be safely brought into the country.

He cited an example of 300 pilots studying with his son who have gone back home and the Government wasn't allowing them back.

Asked who has had the greatest influence on his life, he said: "Easily my father and my grandfather. My grandfather was a policeman for 30 years. My upbringing was such that my grandparents and my parents were really loving and supportive and guiding me."