Dover Samuels' wife in the running for health board

Given the tribulations Te Tai Tokerau MP Dover Samuels suffered last year, it would be unsurprising if his wife had been put off politics for life.

But Jacqui Samuels - who runs the Oceans Holiday Village at Matauri Bay - has come through the harsh experience of the year 2000 undaunted.

She is seeking election for a place on the Northland District Health Board at this year's local government elections.

Mrs Samuels has been on the Far North District Council's Whangaroa Community Board this term, but said today she would not be seeking re-election to that body.

"I've always had an interest in health and education, and currently I'm doing a diploma in child and adolescent psychology," she said.

Health issues in Northland, with its scattered communities, isolated areas, and low socio-economic status, were pretty "drastic".

Last year she experienced politics in its more unpleasant form, when sexual allegations surfaced against her husband.

Police investigated the claims thoroughly before announcing they would not be pursuing them further, but Mr Samuels told of the huge toll the events had taken on his family.

Today Mrs Samuels said she did not like dirty politics.

"I definitely would be one person who is very anti all the political rubbish that goes on."

Meanwhile, prospective candidates for the upcoming Northland local body elections are being urged to get their facts straight, or risk being declared an invalid candidate.

Whangarei electoral officer Owen Mitchell said some nominations received for candidates for the local body and district health board elections in October risked being declared invalid because incorrect, or incomplete information is being supplied.

Mr Mitchell said the limit of 150 words for candidate profiles was being exceeded.

As well, some nominations for the Northland District Health Board lacked any conflict of interest statement while the names of some nominators were not on the electoral roll at the address stated.

Mr Mitchell said if nomination forms were not correct when nominations closed at noon on Friday they would be ruled invalid.

At edition time today seven people had been nominated to stand in the Whangarei District Council elections, one in the Northland Regional Council elections and nine in the Northland District Health Board elections.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE