Phil Twyford, Labour party, North Shore

Phil Twyford

Phil Twyford is a first-time candidate for Labour in the North Shore electorate (up against National's sitting MP Dr Wayne Mapp). Number 56 on Labour's list.

Current job: Electorate secretary to Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Identifies as: Red-blooded Kiwi male.Oxfam experience gave me the skills to use as an MP

You have spent 15 years working for Oxfam. How is that experience relevant to central government?

Building Oxfam in New Zealand from start-up to an income of $3 million a year gave me the business skills, and as an advocate I learned how to how to argue my corner and bring people together to achieve change.

Fair Trade is the next GE-Free. Why should New Zealand care?

Trade can generate fantastic opportunities and lift people out of poverty. But unfair trade rules rip off our own farmers as well as millions of farmers in developing countries. European and American subsidies mean their cotton, milk, sugar and countless other commodities get dumped on world markets below the cost of production, driving unsubsidised farmers out of business. Fair trade campaigners here have raised the volume of Fair Trade coffee sold forty-fold over the last year. I do think New Zealand cares.

Geldof's Live8 has been criticised as a marketing exercise, celebrity ego-stroking. What do you think?

It was really about telling world leaders to change unfair trade rules, forgive old unpayable debts, and increase aid so that African countries can start to work their way out of poverty. I think they made pretty good progress.

Labour's wanting to get women back into the workforce. Hasn't economic reality forced many mothers back to work already?

It's a fact of life. The problem is that without access to high-quality childcare, mums and dads have been forced to make unsatisfactory choices. It's all about the kids. Which is why we increased paid parental leave, extended it to the self-employed, brought in four weeks holiday and free doctors visits for under-5s. And also why Labour is promising 20 hours a week of free childcare whether parents are working or not.

Why do non-working parents need free childcare?

For starters it can give parents the chance to study or retrain. But mostly it is about supporting families. I know from raising our son Harry that high-quality childcare made all the difference. It did him the world of good to mix with other kids in a secure and stimulating environment. And it was good for Jo and I as parents to have a break.

You say it's about providing good choices, but isn't Labour dictating to parents which are acceptable childcare centres and which aren't?

Actually no. The Budget put $546 million aside to pay for increased access to childcare. Private centres will get more than half of that through an increased subsidy. But Labour's long term priority is to build high-quality public education freely available to all. We are helping new centres to open and encouraging teachers to increase their skills. National would allow you a tax deduction for backyard baby sitting.

What do you say to those who accuse the Government of social engineering?

Weren't Jenny Shipley's benefit cuts and the Employment Contracts Act social engineering? You bet. The difference is that Labour is trying to build a New Zealand where everyone shares in the prosperity.

What's the most pressing problem in your electorate?

Getting around it. Like the rest of the city, North Shore is paying the price for decades of neglect of our transport infrastructure. But we are about to get a world-class public transport system in the form of the busway. It's going to make a huge difference.

Sling some mud: What's the biggest mistake the opposition is making?

They're assuming New Zealanders are selfish, fearful of difference, out for short-term gain and have very, very short memories.

And what are they doing right?

They are making us work. We have to get out there and ask for the vote. It's good for democracy.