Serving community ‘comes naturally’ to DemocracyNZ candidate for EC

Chris Robinson

DemocracyNZ, a new party formed only last year, will field Whakatāne resident and former Auckland police officer Chris Robinson in the East Coast electorate in this year’s general election.

Mr Robinson says serving the community comes naturally to him after 37 years in the police.

He reached the rank of commissioned officer in the New Zealand Police after working across Auckland on the front-line and at a strategic level.

“This is the worst government in the history of our country, and I don’t have faith in any of the opposition parties to solve the issues we face as a country,” he said.

“Crime is at an all-time high, and it is heartbreaking to see so many young people getting into trouble with the law when they should really be in school, learning and thriving to be well-rounded adults.

“As a former police officer, I feel I bring something to the table and can help get our country back on track again.

“Many Kiwis have lost faith in the political system, however, DemocracyNZ has a team that is not afraid to challenge the current political landscape — and has the courage to stand up for what is right, when it matters.”

Party Leader Matt King, who was a National Party MP between 2017 and 2020 and formed the new party last year in the wake of the pandemic, welcomed Mr Robinson as his East Coast candidate.

“He is always willing to put in the hard yards to make a difference in the community, and that willingness to do good makes him a fantastic candidate and member of our team.

“Creating safe communities is a high priority for DemocracyNZ. As a former police officer myself (I know) Chris will bring a wealth of experience to the team”.

Mr Robinson said politics was not an obvious choice for him, but when the Covid-19 mandates were introduced, he could not ignore the “obvious breach” of the Bill of Rights.

“It is disturbing that all the parties in Parliament supported the mandates. They disregarded body autonomy, which is a fundamental human right.

“The actions of our politicians show how easily democracy and freedom can be lost, and people are often attacked for having different views.

“Debate is stifled, which is not the sign of a healthy democracy.

“I’m glad to be on this team with other people committed to making change that really matters.”