NZ First leader in town as party sets sights on regions

New Zealand First Waitaki candidate Alex Familton and party leader Winston Peters met members of the public in Oamaru on Saturday to talk about concerns. Photo / Shannon Gillies.

After taking the previously safe National stronghold of Northland, New Zealand First has now set its sights on regional electorates, including Waitaki.

Party leader Winston Peters and New Zealand First Waitaki candidate and former Waitaki mayor Alex Familton made those comments at a brief meeting in Oamaru on Saturday.
Both Waitaki and Northland are traditional conservative seats.

Mr Peters said the strategy was to have all candidates push for the party vote so NZ First could have more MPs and use that momentum to take electorate seats.

Mr Peters said he felt the move to New Zealand First in Northland was because voters felt ignored by National.

When asked if he expected something similar to happen in the Waitaki electorate, he said all of regional New Zealand had been ignored by the country's major political parties.

Oamaru's Nicky Robertson was a traditional Labour voter, but said she was strongly considering voting for New Zealand First.

''[I'm] tired of the rubbish and run-abouts Labour and National are putting us through. I think they're conning us.''

She believed the Government's response to the Christchurch rebuild was lacklustre and people affected by the quakes were still suffering.

New to Oamaru, Gary Eggers said he was looking to cast his vote for someone who would do something about rising inequality.

''I'm concerned about how unequal our country is getting ... so many people are scratching to make a living and seem to be forgotten and are not being represented.''

He believed financial polices of successive governments were partly responsible for the inequality he now saw in his community.

''The trickle-down financial policies aren't working.''