Election 2023: Tukituki candidate says unemployed key to tackling climate change

Allister Tosh at a candidates' debate for the Tukituki electorate. Photo / Warren Buckland

A Tukituki candidate wants to see unemployed young people working on “recycling yards” to help tackle climate change.

Allister David Tosh is one of 10 candidates vying for the Tukituki seat at the upcoming October 14 general election - making it the most-contested electorate in Hawke’s Bay.

The Labour Party’s Anna Lorck is the incumbent and is facing strong competition from the likes of National’s Catherine Wedd.

Tosh is the sole candidate for a party he set up in 2015 called the Future Youth Party.

The 53-year-old Flaxmere resident and father said the name and vision of the party was focused on “outcomes for the next generation”.

Tosh ran for Tukituki in 2017 (receiving 82 votes) and 2020 (receiving 50 votes) and has also unsuccessfully run for Hastings Mayor in the past.

Tosh, whose work includes looking after his young daughter and focusing on his political campaign, said climate change and the economy were two big issues for the electorate.

He said one of his main ideas to address climate change was to put “more effort into recycling initiatives”.

“We need young unemployed to be working at the coalface of recycling yards, to sort out people’s waste that don’t have the initiative or time to do it themselves,” he said.

“As to our economy, our main parties want a population of 15 million to gain the tax revenue to keep our debt under control, but where does it all end, when we are already struggling to house the people we have?”

He said he would look to curb immigration, among other measures, if elected.