Local Focus: Who is Soraya Peke-Mason, Labour candidate for Rangitīkei?

Soraya Peke-Mason, the Labour candidate for the vast Rangitīkei electorate, has a strong local government and business background and deep ties to the area.

"I come from an ancestry that can be traced back to the early 1800s in the electorate," she said.

From Rātana, Peke-Mason has spent 18 years on the Rangitīkei District Council, 12 as an elected councillor, and six years on the community board before that.

Her business background includes construction, tourism, forestry and honey.

"I serve on a couple of boards and am a Justice of the Peace serving for over 30 years and have just completed the Masters of business administration at Massey University."

Asked her views on a range of quirky topics, her favourite businessperson is local mayor, Andy Watson.

Also standing in the Rangitīkei electorate:
• Reuben Leung Wai for the New Conservatives
• Ricky Cribb for Advance NZ
• Neil Wilson for ACT
• Antony Woollams for NZ First

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