Five vie for Rotorua
March 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm by David FarrarThe Rotorua Review lists the five candidates seeking the National Party candidacy for Rotorua. There were probably more than five originally, but pre-selection rules requires the selection meeting to have no more than five candidates. The five are:
- Sandra Kai Fong – lawyer
- Alan Hulton – property investor
- Hamuera Mitchell – Ngati Whakaue Tribal Lands Trust chairman
- Todd McClay – company manager (and former Cook Islands Ambassador to the EU)
- Don Hammond – forestry consultant
The selection meeting is on 19 March. There are lots of selection meetings in March but I don’t know all the dates off hand.
On the new boundaries Rotorua has a paper majority to National of 366. Steve Chadwick is fairly well respected so will be no pushover but she will have to work hard to hold the seat against a likely big nationwide swing.
Tags: Alan Hulton, Don Hammond, Hamuera Mitchell, National, Rotorua, Sandra Kai Fong, Steve Chadwick, Todd McClay
March 4th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Where are the teachers, union officials and university lecturers?
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Don Hammond is my pick – smart, been inside govt , knows the land – self employed, honest and with a bit more ” bloke” about him than some of the other shiny arsed city boys National currently has in its ranks.
He would make a great Minister of Agriculture.
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
On paper McClay looks like a good pick.
I’m surprised that city councillor hasn’t put his hand up. What’s his name? He’s a Nat I think, maybe used to be United?
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Whats more important than individual electorate candidates is the Party list. Any info on when that will come out?
[DPF: I expect no earlier than July]
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
BB: Where are the teachers, union officials and university lecturers?
More to the point where are the women and Maoris – that’s right they resigned or were demoted.
Good luck to Sandra & Hamuera, I hope your not there to make up the numbers until another white male is selected.
[DPF: In National you are allowed to have a selection panel which is not just a choice between a teacher a union official and a lecturer]
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Sandra Kai Fong is a Rotorua local, her dad ran a supermarket and later a carwash business. Hard working and well-respected family. Hamuera Mitchell has a surname that is also highly respected in those parts. They would both be extremely good candidates, for their personal qualities not just because they are female or Maori. It looks like a very talented line-up, and will be a tough call for the delegates, but Rotorua is the sort of place where its a huge advantage to have that local background.
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Any National candidate who advertises in the smoking area of a pub near Rotorua, will defaecate all over Chadwick in the poll.
Vote:March 4th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Perhaps if some of these candidates fail they should come to Dunedin, the ODT is reporting that the National Party is struggling to find someone to replace Katherine Rich, even saying they may be left to having Bill English & Jacqi Dean being buddy MP’s for the electorate.
Vote:I didn’t realise the National Party was so lacking in Dunedin.
March 5th, 2008 at 2:40 am
rolla – that’s because Dunedin has been historically so safe for Labour they could have put up a red plastic bag and it would have won it for them.
The reason now why we are seeing so much talent putting themselves up is because recent polling is giving them a good reason to expect a change of career after the election.
Vote:March 5th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Ngati Whakaue? Surely not the legendary tribe of pygmies so named because they live in the long grass and leap up and down shouting “Where the whakaue?”
Vote:March 5th, 2008 at 9:59 am
A really interesting selection is Auckland Central which takes place tonight. While no-one will argue its the Party vote that’s all important nevertheless for the first time in my memory there is a realistic chance that with the right candidate National can take the seat. In years past National has sometimes struggled to field a candidate in that electorate. This time four strong candidates have put their name forward because they know and we know that Judith Tizard is a ‘shining example’ of all that is wrong with Labour and is eminently defeatable (my word).
Come November JT will be able to devote her whole time to knitting rather than just doing it it the debating chamber.
Vote:March 5th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for that awesome native legend Bearhunter….I think they should contest a primary.
Vote: