Whanganui’s MP-elect Carl Bates on a steep learning curve

MP-elect Carl Bates (left) meeting Whanganui District Mayor Andrew Tripe last week.

There’s been no rest for Whanganui’s MP-elect Carl Bates since provisional election results were declared on Saturday, October 14, but he isn’t complaining.

Bates has already spent a week at Parliament with the Class of 23, National’s new intake of MPs, and has begun his orientation to the routine and rules of Parliament. He has attended the party’s first caucus meeting, the first coming together of National’s existing caucus and those elected on election day.

It will be at least early November before a coalition government is sworn in by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, with coalition negotiations going on behind closed doors in Auckland. But that doesn’t mean there’s no work to do in the meantime, and Bates is under no illusions as to the size of the job ahead.

“I’m excited. It’s daunting, there’s a huge amount of work to be done and I don’t think that can be underestimated,” he told supporters on election night.

There was a small window for family time the next day, with a party at Kōwhai Park to celebrate elder son Angus’ fifth birthday. Bates realises, however, that family time will be a precious commodity.

After a week in Wellington, Carl spent last week in the electorate attending a variety of meetings and functions, including a meeting with Whanganui District Mayor Andrew Tripe.

“I was able to build relationships with all three mayors in the electorate during the campaign,” he said. “As Whanganui’s elected representative I will be proactive in making sure the individual and collective voices of the three local authorities in the electorate are heard in Wellington.”

Whanganui is a diverse electorate, with the Whanganui district in the southern portion, and South Taranaki and Stratford districts to the north. A key part of Carl’s tenure will be balancing competing demands on his time from sectors of the electorate. However, a rigorous, eight-month fulltime campaign has prepared Carl well.

“My pledge to everyone in the Whanganui electorate is that I will be visible, I will turn up, and I will work on behalf of every constituent,” Bates said. “I set high standards of myself, and I have a track record of getting things done, so that will not change.”

Right now, however, there’s another trip to Wellington this week where the newbies from all parties continue to learn the ropes. At the end of the week, they will return to their homes or electorates, and await the confirmation of final election results, due to be released on Friday afternoon.

Carl Bates has already hit the ground running. With Parliament not due to recess for Christmas until December 21, he knows the next few weeks will be a baptism of fire, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.