Christchurch-based independent candidate on why’s he running in the Tauranga by-election.
Independent candidate Peter Wakeman is based in Christchurch but it has not stopped him running in the Tauranga by-election.
He says he has never stood in any South Island by-election.
"I've only stood for by-elections in the North Island," he says.
"It's about achieving something better than we have atthe moment and I believe that I have achieved things through all my by-elections that I have stood for."
According to Wakeman, poverty is Tauranga's biggest issue.
"We need to remove the 15 per cent GST off things like food, insurance, car repairs, dentistry to have a financial system that favours people looking after themselves rather than going broke and getting into debt."
The region's struggling infrastructure is also high on Wakeman's list of priorities.
"With endless immigration we fill up our roads and we just cannot carry on building roads to meet such high demand."
