Northland's infrastructure should be at the forefront going forward, district leaders say. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland's infrastructure should be at the forefront going forward, district leaders say. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The preliminary election results have left the region’s leaders happy with a strong Northland representation in Parliament.
The economy, infrastructure and cost of living were key issues pinpointed as priorities by mayoral and commerce leaders after yesterday’s preliminary election results.
National took out both the Northland (Grant McCallum) and Whangārei(Dr Shane Reti) seats by a large margin, with Tai Tokerau’s MP yet to be finalised.
Labour’s Kelvin Davis and Te Pāti Māori’s Miriameno Kapa-Kīngi are both still in the running, and yesterday morning incumbent Davis held the seat by 487 votes, with special votes still to be counted over the coming days.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania told the Advocate he is “stoked” the Far North District will be so well-represented in Parliament.
“I’m really excited to know we’re going to have so many voices advocating on our behalf,” he said.
Tepania acknowledged the number-one priority for the Far North should be the state of roading, which is “incredibly important” for those in the area who have to travel day-in and day-out.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania is keen to see the region's dire roads fixed. Photo / Peter de Graaf
He’s waiting to see the results for Tai Tokerau - though he noted the tight margin between Mariameno Kapa-Kīngi and Kelvin Davis showed an appetite for a “strong local representative” who can “do the work on the ground”.
“But no matter who is in the seats, I know we’ve got some amazing, strong local representation across the spectrum.”
He said housing, the cost of living, employment and tourism are also key issues that need addressing.
Kaipara District Mayor Craig Jepson is happy about the results and hopes they will bring about meaningful change for his district, which has been hammered by extreme weather, inflation and roading issues.
“I think we needed a change,” he said.
Jepson is feeling “very positive” about the next three years for his district and is “hopeful” the new Government will “all be adults” moving forward.
Kūmara growers, beef and sheep farmers and forestry workers have borne the brunt force of inflation, extreme weather and more, he said.
These industries are a “huge part” of the Kaipara District, each of which he wants to see back on track. He also wants to see the Brynderwyns fixed.
Kaipara District Mayor Craig Jepson wants to see Kaipara back on track. Photo / Tania Whyte
Jepson’s message to the new MPs is to put their differences aside so they may form a “strong Government” going forward.
His feelings mirror that of Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo, who was “pleasantly surprised” by the results.
“The main reason I say that is you’ve got National, Act and New Zealand First, and all the MPs, even the list MPs, they’re all Northland people. And they all understand how Northland people feel.”
Cocurullo said these representatives are for the highway four-laning and the railway line out to Marsden Point and against Three Waters.
He noted the four-laning will make a “huge difference” to Northland and “open up Northland immensely”, while the repealing of Three Waters will ensure Whangārei still has the “best water systems out there”.
The next three years need to be about teamwork to achieve “better outcomes”, he said.
Cocurullo noted he wants to see the cost of living addressed, something that can “make a community hurt”.
He said he’s still waiting to see how the Te Tai Tokerau seat pans out, and congratulated the MPs who have stood - particularly Dr Emily Henderson.
“We need to say ‘well done’ to each one of them,” he said.
Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo is glad to see strong Northland representation in Parliament. Photo / Tania Whyte
Northland Chamber of Commerce CEO Darryn Fisher said the change in government is something that his membership was both hoping for and expecting.
He believes Labour’s governing over the last six years has been “nothing but pure incompetence”, with “terrible policy-making”, particularly in the last three years, that made businesses feel like “the enemy”.
Fisher hopes the shift will bring “more positivity” back into the community, especially with “strong representation” in Wellington.
He said “unity” between the MPs representing Northland will be needed, and could be achieved by pushing “personal agendas aside” and creating quick change.
Fisher said businesses’ are concerned about Northland’s infrastructure. Now is the time to “unlock the potential” of Northland, he said.
His other concern is the cost of living.
“The economy is in really bad shape and the cost of living for Northlanders is out of control. We have the lowest GDP per capita in the country, and our communities need some serious action on affordable living conditions.”
“You’ve got to remember who you’re serving,” he said.
Brodie Stone is the education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie recently graduated from Massey University and has a special interest in the environment and investigative reporting.
