Rotorua MP and Trade Minister Todd McClay has been re-selected as the National Party candidate for the Rotorua electorate in the 2017 general election.
Mr McClay said in a statement it was an honour to be the Rotorua electorate's Member of Parliament and a privilege to serve the local community - and wider New Zealanders.
"The last two years have seen a significant period of growth and development for Rotorua and the Rotorua electorate, which will provide wide benefit for everyone in our community. The Bay of Plenty region is humming, but there is still a great deal of work to do in order to ensure that continues," he said.
Mr McClay said a number of key initiatives had been delivered for Rotorua in recent years, but he was very pleased to have delivered a choice for local people by getting Easter trading across the line, after many years of lobbying Wellington.
"We are now treated the same as Taupo and Queenstown - fairness we have waited more than 20 years for," he said.
"Over my eight years in parliament, the Government has been focussed on providing opportunities for young people. Achievement levels in local schools have increased as a result of hard work of our teachers and we have delivered more apprentice and trades training places for all local people with a particular focus on Maori and Pacifica students.
"Government continues to invest in infrastructure to make Rotorua an attractive place for people to live, grow businesses and visit. We have seen tens of millions invested in local roads to deal with congestion and make our roads safer.
"We are also one of the first parts of New Zealand to have Ultra Fast Broadband available to all residents levelling the play field against bigger cities," he said.
"I will continue to work with Mayor Chadwick and the council, iwi and local industry, to ensure that Rotorua is a top destination for growth."
Mr McClay said another important highlight since becoming Trade Minister had been the opportunity to showcase Rotorua to a series of high level international visitors.
"We have made Rotorua a key part of their itinerary wherever possible, so that they are able to experience more of New Zealand than meeting rooms in Auckland or Wellington. We have better conversations and I'm able to show off our part of the world. It's a win-win situation."
Mr McClay was first elected to Parliament after defeating long-standing Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick in 2008 and 2011, and high-profile media personality Tamati Coffey in 2014, increasing his majority at each election.
He was appointed a Government Minister in 2013. In 2014 he was promoted to Cabinet, and in 2015 was promoted Minister of Trade. He is also the Minister of State Owned Enterprises, and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Rotorua electorate includes Rotorua and its wider districts, as well as Te Puke and rural Tauranga.