Retiring MP visits Rotorua health providers during meet-and-greet in region

Even though she is retiring from Parliament, the Labour Party's health spokeswoman Annette King still wants to make sure her party is focusing on the things that matter.

Mrs King has been in the Bay of Plenty for the past two days with colleague Trevor Mallard and some of the region's candidates.

They were in Tauranga and Whakatane yesterday, and while in and around the area visited a local radio station, attended a pub meeting with Whakatane mayor Tony Bonne to hear about the crisis in Edgecumbe and also spoke to forestry workers in Kawerau.

While in Rotorua today she visited a number of local health providers with Labour's Waiariki candidate Tamati Coffey, including Korowai Aroha and QE Health, where she received a wax treatment specifically designed to help people suffering from arthritis.

Mrs King, who has visited QE Health a number of times during her 33-years in Parliament, said the institution was a great credit to the city and congratulated it on its 75 years operating and hoped it continued for another 75.

"It's quite amazing what they have done here in the two years since I last visited. I also wanted to hear what the long-term vision was for them.

"I might not be in Parliament, but I'll still be busy, and this was a good chance to meet with some of our amazing candidates and find out what people in the regions had to say and what they were concerned about.

"While I'm still an MP there's still work to do, but this is the part of the job I loved the most - getting out and meeting the people we all represent."

The final visit of her day will be to a farewell function put on by her party's Rotorua supporters at Mr Coffey's bar.

Mr Coffey said the party's supporters were keen to send her off in style and thank her for more than three decades of public service.