Election Profile: Pat Spellman

If Pat Spellman becomes Waiariki MP, the first thing he would do - apart from buy a suit and dress shoes - would be talk to the people about what they want. Photo / Ruth Keber

Pat Spellman has always been a communicator.

When he was 8 he wrote several letters to the mayor of Tokoroa, Neil Sinclair, about the rubbish that polluted the railway lines at the back of his school.

Not hearing a response or seeing the rubbish being addressed the confident boy went to the council offices where he told the receptionist it was "be mayor for the day".

He was ushered to the mayor's office where he quickly demanded to know why his letters had not been addressed and why there was still rubbish at the back of his school.

As a result, Keep Our Community Clean was set up and to this day it still continues, evidence of a man who means business and always has his eye out for the community.

Now, 16 years on, the charismatic figure is running as the Waiariki candidate for the NZ Independent Coalition.

Born in Rotorua, his family moved to Tokoroa when he was 6-months-old.

As a teen he moved to Hamilton and went to university to complete a Bachelor of Media Arts along with a certificate in radio broadcasting during which he found his passion for radio. "It's the essence of who I am, it's the ability to be entertaining, to be serious, to spread a message. I am in charge of ensuring people know. It's my job to resonate with you. And that's not a very easy thing to do.

Mr Spellman has been a radio host for Moana Radio for the past four years.

During his first year at Moana, he interviewed politicians for the 2011 general elections, where he said he found an interest for politics.

"It got to a point where they weren't going to Newstalk ZB ... and they weren't going to Mediaworks ... they were coming to Moana to talk to Pat."

Mr Spellman said he had built a rapport with the community and was able to get real answers from politicians and translate that in a way people understood.

Being a Labour advocate for the past three years Mr Spellman said he fell out with the party earlier this year after losing the "essence of party politics".

"They ignored the local mandate of their party, they went with what was best for the party locally instead what was best for the local people of Tauranga and when you are ignoring Tauranga, you are ignoring me because I am Tauranga. So I respectably decided to disagree and go my own way."

Now Mr Spellman is part of the NZ Independent Coalition.

Mr Spellman said if people looked at the NZIS model, it was one of hope.

"There is no better model in New Zealand politics but, unfortunately, because it is led by a polarising figure people discount the party."

Mr Spellman said by being a younger candidate, he hoped he would encourage people under the age of 35 to vote. "Imagine if they had someone in Parliament who was there to push things important to the youth demographics because at the moment you have 121 MPs who are over the age of 39 and none of them have any interests in servicing younger generations."

If he was voted in, Mr Spellman said the first thing he would do, other than buy a suit and a pair of dress shoes, is go back to local communities to hear what they wanted, first hand.

"MPs and especially the next MP for the Waiariki needs to understand every child in New Zealand has a dream, regardless of their age or situation, they have a dream and it's the MP's job to ensure they have every possibility of making it happen."

Pat Spellman

• Born and bred: Born in Rotorua and raised in Tokoroa, but now lives in Tauranga.

• Who is your biggest inspiration?: My parents - they always made sure my whanau had everything we needed. They're the foundation of my abilities.

• If you could make one new law tomorrow, what would it be?: I'd abolish the mandatory stand down period applied when you seek assistance from Work and Income. When people need help, they need it straight away. I'd ensure that happened.

• Who is New Zealand's best MP?: Maori Party leader and current Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell. A man of integrity, he's loyal and honest - and I honestly believe that everything he does is with the best intentions of Maori in mind, at all times.