Ian McKelvie: Election great result for National

Ian McKelvie

Thank you, Rangitikei. Thank you for giving me another three years of your support.
It is not something I take for granted, and I will continue to work hard to deliver for you, for the many and diverse communities in our region, and for rural and provincial New Zealand.

Whether or not you gave me your vote on September 23, it is my privilege to serve as your Member of Parliament for the next three years.

It has been an amazing election campaign, and this is a great result for National. Nearly half of the country voted National - which, in an MMP environment, is a strong endorsement of the direction New Zealand is taking.

I am very sorry the Maori Party did not win any seats.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them over the past six years and their contribution to New Zealand over the past nine years has been significant.

I believe under MMP special interest parties should focus on what they stand for and try to find a place in Government whether it is right or left-led.

I think more than most other parties, the Maori Party demonstrated an understanding and a willingness to do this.

I am sad that many of their supporters failed to see the benefit of being in Government in order to effect real change.

I will miss my colleague and friend Chester Borrows. His contribution to the greater Whanganui region and indeed New Zealand over the past 12 years as MP for Whanganui has been outstanding.

I look forward to working with his successor, Harete Hipango - our regions have a lot in common and together we will continue to be the voice for rural and provincial New Zealand in Wellington.

The election has helped focus everyone on what this country wants to achieve. We want to build on the economic direction this country is taking, which is the foundation of so much of our success.

We have put ourselves in a position where we can achieve sustained economic success. And that's important because having a strong economy means we can make further progress on some of our most challenging, long-term issues - reducing poverty, supporting the most vulnerable and protecting the environment.

Until a new Government is formed, we will run a responsible and stable administration abiding by the usual caretaker conventions. The business of government will not grind to a halt. We are able to deal with any pressing issues that arise over the coming weeks.

We do not need to rush this process but, equally, there is no greater priority right now than delivering a strong Government to take New Zealand forward.

Thank you again for your support. My offices in Marton, Feilding and Taumarunui are open for business. Please contact me if you require any assistance.