Whangārei MP Shane Reti says a proven track record will help as National's health spokesman

Whangārei MP Dr Shane Reti rolled up his sleeves to take part in the meningitis vaccination programme last year. His medical experience across the globe has seen him named National's health spokesman.

A proven track record that you can trust is the platform Whangārei's National MP, and the party's new health spokesman will use to get voters to back the party in September's election.

Dr Shane Reti was promoted to number five in the National Party caucus on Wednesday by new leader Judith Collins - the highest ranking Whangārei MP ever in a National Party caucus - replacing Michael Woodhouse.

Collins said Reti is a doctor, a specialist and "has even worked at Harvard". She said Reti has shown himself to be an excellent performer in the House.

Woodhouse was tied up in the scandal that saw National MP Hamish Walker leak private information about 18 people in Covid-19 managed isolation. Walker had received the information from former National Party president Michelle Boag and it was later revealed that Woodhouse received similar material from Boag, but did not leak it.

Reti said he was honoured to receive the promotion, and backing of the new leadership, but it was not something he had pushed for, believing hard work led to suitable rewards.

His promotion though will probably not come as a surprise for those who know him well and his career. He's a GP, specialist, spent several years on the prestigious New Zealand Harkness Fellowship to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School - which led to him help fix broken health systems in other countries, and has served three three-year terms as a member of Northland District Health Board.

This diverse range of experiences are probably unique among any other contenders for the role, but it's another aspect that stands out.

In 2001, while a member of NDHB, the board was tasked with carrying out a health needs assessment survey on the needs of Maori in the area. After finding that the work was not being done, he personally drove and walked thousands of kilometres along the highways and back roads of Northland, knocking on doors to ask people what their health needs were.

It had been a potentially risky thing to do, but it did not deter him.

''I went to some very isolated, rundown areas, I went to gang houses in Moerewa, I went wherever the people were. Yes, some said it was risky, but at every door I went to when I said 'I'm Dr Shane Reti, I'm here to find out what you health needs are so we can help you', they'd say 'you're a doctor, come in','' he said.

''These were my people and I needed to find out what was going on before we could try to address any of the issues.''

It's that ability to connect with people - whether they be top academics, officials, or the person on the street - that had got Reti this far.

It's also given him a great understanding of what the health issues are in Northland and a determination to address them.

In relation to the Government's handling of the Covid-19 he said they had "done a good job, but not a great job''.

He said National would have shut the borders earlier and had a better system for managing those who came back from overseas and had a far more coordinated approach.

''We had 20 public health units across the country doing their own things. That's fine in some situations, but there are some situations that need a managed, coordinated approach and a global pandemic is one of those things.''

He would also let a number of high value foreign students into the country by the end of the year as a trial to show they, and the risk, could be managed properly, before allowing more foreign students in.

Reti said although his new role would see him have to support the party around the country as health spokesman, Collins had made it clear the local electorate was the first priority.

''While I will have those party responsibilities I will be out in our community campaigning and the electorate will always be my first and last priority. The people of Whangārei have put their faith in me to always act in their best interests.''