February 19, 2015
Time for change in north says Little
Labour leader Andrew Little is hoping for a strong show in the Northland by-election.
So far three candidates have lined up for the election on March 28 – Labour’s Willow Jean Prime, anti-mining campaigner Reuben Porter for Mana and Whangarei avocado grower Robin Grieve for ACT.
National will chose its candidate on February 28 to replace Mike Sabin, who quite to deal with any fall-out from a police investigation.
Mr Little says while many of Willow Jean Prime’s Ngati Hine supporters will be on the Maori roll, she should still get wide support from voters in the electorate.
"The issues about lack of jobs, roading and housing affects everybody across the baord and I don't get why an area that has been so deprived for so long continues to vote blue and the message we are starting to get back is that a lot of the population there feel as if they are being taken for granted, and this might be time for a change, so we will see how the campaign goes," he says.
Those seeking the nod to represent National include Northland Conservation Board chair Mita Harris, farmers Matt King and Grant McCallum, Mark Osborne, who manages Kaitaia's Te Ahu Trust, and Karen Rolleston, the chief executive of an online education company.
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