Editorial: Expect big election promises for Northland from National

National leader Bill English will be keen to see his party win back the Northland electorate seat.

Back in March 2015, then PM John Key vowed his party would do what it could to win back the Northland electorate seat after Winston Peters came long and stole it.

National had held the Northland seat since 1966 - and just six months before National MP Mike Sabin had taken it with a 9000 vote majority.

But a lot can happen in six months, Mr Sabin's resignation for personal reasons was the catalyst for NZ First leader Winston Peters to step in and play to a disgruntled electorate unhappy with the bang it was getting in return for the voting "bucks" it had faithfully invested in the National party.

We now have a new Prime Minister who will be just as interested as Mr Key in reinstating National in the Northland electorate.

Bill English may have a double-sized NZ First headache in the region with Shane Jones tipped to exit diplomatic duties and stand for NZ First against Shane Reti in Whangarei.

A Battle of the Shanes in Whangarei would be hugely entertaining but the scenario is different from that which emerged in Northland.

Shane Reti has done nothing wrong in his apprentice term, but he could do with some pre-election announcements that will bring employment to Whangarei.

It would be an articulate, entertaining battle between Reti and Jones but intelligent voters are simple going to want to know how any candidate - not just these two - can take an electorate that is treading water economically, and advance it forward.

Ahead of the September election, expect some big announcements from National around projects for the Northland region - in both electorates mentioned above.

In the past three years, the rich have got richer and the poor have remained poor in Mr Reti's electorate.

It's time National invested in the district, and not just to ensure it wins an election.

Surely, the Northland electorate experience tells the party that?