North economic boss is NZ First candidate for Te Atatu

NZ First candidate for Te Atatu, and Northland Inc chief executive, David Wilson

David Wilson, for the past four years the champion for regional economic development, is jumping from ''Northland first'' to New Zealand First.

Chief executive of Northland Inc, Mr Wilson is NZ First's candidate in the Labour fortress seat of Te Atatu in Auckland.

NZ First leader and Northland MP, Winston Peters announced Mr Wilson's candidacy yesterday.

Mr Wilson said his interest in NZ First started about a year ago through discussing regional development with his wife's relative, high-ranking NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau.

He was later asked to talk economic and regional development policy with NZ First leaders, and the relationship grew from there.

''That's my passion and, frankly, if it wasn't, I wouldn't be entering politics,'' Mr Wilson said.

While his work base has been Whangarei since taking on the Northland Inc role in 2013, he has continued to live in Auckland. After Saturday he would be able to ''talk politics'', he said. He will take unpaid leave from his job for the run-up to the general election.

''On September 23 I'll know whether I'm coming back to work on September 25.''

Mr Wilson's interest in public policy and economic development began about 20 years ago. His wife was an intern doctor at an Auckland Hospital, and was concerned about the systemic failures and top-heavy management of the health and social sectors she saw.

Then a retailer, Mr Wilson went back to university. His undergraduate BA was in social policy and psychology, his MA in public policy and his PhD in regional development.

"I am delighted to be announcing David Wilson as our candidate in Te Atatu," Mr Peters said.

The party list has not yet been drawn up so it is not known how close Mr Wilson might sit to the door into Parliament.

Mr Peters said there was no gap in ideology between Mr Wilson's role with Northland Inc - to encourage overseas investment, acquisition and hospitality and seasonal workers - and Mr Peters' call for less foreign ownership and tighter immigration controls.

''We are not against immigration,'' Mr Peters said.

''We want the highest quality migrants to Northland, just as we encourage the right kind of offshore investment here.''

Northland Inc is a Council-Controlled Organisation and subsidiary of NRC which funds it to the tune of $1.2m a year. In the 2014 annual report, Mr Wilson's salary was listed as between $120,000 to $150,000.