Whanganui MP Steph Lewis launches campaign with ‘exhausting but thrilling day’

Labour MP Steph Lewis alongside Finance Minister Grant Robertson at her campaign launch event.

A tight election race lies ahead and the current Whanganui MP, Labour’s Steph Lewis, says there’s a lot at stake in the next three months of campaigning.

Lewis kicked off her campaign launch in Stratford and Hāwera before finishing an “exhausting but thrilling” day with a Saturday night event at Stellar.

“I don’t take anything for granted. We’ve had three very challenging years, but there’s more work to be done.”

Lewis said she was focusing on her own election campaign rather than that of her Opposition candidate, National’s Carl Bates.

“The candidates have changed, but my approach to campaigning hasn’t.

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“I’ve started door-knocking and have also been phone calling, and I’ll be getting out across the electorate and doing market stalls in Stratford, Hāwera and Whanganui.”

Finance Minister Grant Robertson was in Whanganui for the launch and said the mood was “excellent”.

“I’m really optimistic.

“There were a lot of new people last night who I hadn’t seen at Whanganui events before, which was a positive sign for an election campaign.”

Robertson said he thought this year’s election would be a tight race, but Lewis was “up for the fight”.

“It’s going to be a really close election, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that across New Zealand.

“2020 was an anomaly for elections in Labour being able to form a Government on our own, and I think this time around, every vote is going to have to be fought for.”

Robertson said he thought Lewis had been a strong advocate for the Whanganui region over the last three years.

Lewis said she didn’t want to see a reversal on the progress Labour had made over the last six years.

“We are facing a potential coalition in the Opposition who want to cut the winter energy payment, not follow through on twenty hours free for early childhood education and who want to bring back the prescription co-payments.”

On the issues she’d be focusing on during her election campaign, Lewis said the cost of living was top of mind for people.

“I think the focus is definitely on continuing to show progress on easing the cost of living through initiatives such as removing the prescription fees.

“With inflation being what it is at the moment, the support we are providing needs to be in a way that doesn’t push prices up further, but also helps people make ends meet.”

She said every election felt important, but this one was even more so in terms of the future trajectory of the country.

“I think there’s a lot at stake this election, and I’d encourage people to get out and engage with the candidates, and make the most of opportunities to understand what parties are standing for.”

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.