Roberts lives with her family in central Taranaki and ran as the Labour candidate for Taranaki-King Country in the 2023 general election.
She said her shift to running for Whanganui MP was based in her connections to the community, “as opposed to geography”.
“I don’t live in Whanganui, but my people do.”
“I taught in Stratford [part of the Whanganui electorate] for most of my career. My local pub is in Stratford. I’ve taught half the town ... that it is my community.”
Roberts is a ratepayer in Waverley, where her family owns a bach.
She said her biggest focus, if elected, will be affordability and securing jobs.
“When we are having a conversation about affordability in life, we have to have a different lens for provincial New Zealand.”
This meant playing to Whanganui’s strengths as a manufacturing hub and building connection across the rural sector, she said.
Access to healthcare, education and supporting factories through energy and workforce challenges needed to be done in a way catered to Whanganui, she said.
She said public services were a necessary investment for smaller communities – “whether that’s the local post office or healthcare”.
She said she would speak with Whanganui residents on issues throughout her campaign.
“I’ve learnt in the union movement over the years ... when you want to find solutions that will work and are sustainable, you go and talk to the workers.”
“To turn up and listen, not just to what people are struggling with, but what the solutions should be.”
Parts of the Rangitīkei electorate will move to the Whanganui electorate in this year’s general election – almost doubling the land size by 5200sq km and 5100 people.
Roberts said her previous Parliament experience gave her the skills to work across large regions and build inter-community relationships.
“My neighbours who are farmers, we look after each other and we have to look after each other.”
Roberts was 35th on the Labour Party list from the last general election.
Erin Smith is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
